New York's 24th Congressional District election (June 26, 2018 Democratic primary)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 12
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m.
Dana Balter (D) received more than 60 percent of the vote and defeated Juanita Perez Williams (D) in New York's June 26 Democratic primary.
All four Democratic county committees in New York's 24th Congressional District endorsed visiting Syracuse University professor Dana Balter (D) as the party's nominee for the district's U.S. House seat after she received 73 percent of member votes in a candidate designation process.[1] Controversy arose when Juanita Perez Williams (D) entered the race, with the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), forcing an unexpected primary election.[2][3] The national committee's support of Williams against a candidate endorsed by local committees fueled debate about the DCCC's role in primary elections.[3]
Williams was the Democratic nominee in the 2017 mayoral race in Syracuse, New York. Her background as a Navy veteran and prosecuting attorney was cited in a statement released by DCCC chair, Rep. Ben Ray Luján, when Williams was added to their "Red to Blue" program. "Beyond her demonstrated ability to build a winning campaign, Juanita Perez Williams has a strong record of service and a message that connects with voters in New York's 24th Congressional District," he said, "Juanita will run a competitive campaign based on creating jobs, investing in infrastructure and providing access to affordable health care."[4]
"I think it was not a great move,” Balter said referring to the DCCC's role in Williams entry into the race so close to election day, “but we will make the most of the opportunities it presents."[3] Balter, who was endorsed by the Working Families Party, highlighted progressive policy positions like Medicare-for-All, the elimination of cash bail as a part of criminal justice reform, and the institution of a carbon tax, on her campaign website.[5]
Balter faced incumbent John Katko (R) in the November 6, 2018, general election. The 24th Congressional district had voted for a Republican three times and a Democrat twice since 2006.
| New York voter? Dates you need to know. | |
|---|---|
| Primary election | June 26, 2018 |
| Candidate filing deadline | April 12, 2018 |
| Registration deadline | June 1, 2018 |
| Absentee application deadline | June 19, 2018 (by mail), June 25, 2018 (in-person) |
| General election | November 6, 2018 |
| Voting information | |
| Primary type | Closed |
| Early voting deadline | June 25, 2018 (by mail), June 26, 2018 (in-person) |
| Polling locations: Go to this page to find early voting locations and your assigned precinct for election day. | |
For more on related elections, please see:
- New York's 24th Congressional District election (June 26, 2018 Republican primary)
- New York's 24th Congressional District election, 2018
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2018
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2018
- Democratic Party primaries in New York, 2018
- Republican Party primaries in New York, 2018
Election results
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House New York District 24
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Dana Balter | 62.4 | 14,897 |
 | Juanita Perez Williams | 37.6 | 8,958 | |
| Total votes: 23,855 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Anne Messenger (D)
- Philip LaTessa (D)
- Scott Comegys (D)
Candidates
Top candidates
Dana Balter
Juanita Perez Williams
Democratic primary candidates
Did not make the ballot:
Democratic Party factional conflict
Disputes between candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and candidates outside the official organs of the Democratic Party occurred in U.S. House primaries in 2018.
The DCCC, a campaign arm of the Democratic National Committee, endorsed candidates who party leaders believed had the best chance of defeating Republican incumbents.[6]
Some criticized the DCCC's choices. Ryan Grim and Lee Fang wrote in The Intercept, for example, "In district after district, the national party is throwing its weight behind candidates who are out of step with the national mood."[7]
In this primary, the DCCC endorsed Juanita Perez Williams.[6]
The chart below shows a scorecard for how the DCCC performed in competitive Democratic primaries that featured at least one DCCC-endorsed candidate and one other Democratic candidate.
| U.S. House Democratic factions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faction | Primary victories in 2018 | |||||||||||
| Endorsed by DCCC | 31 | |||||||||||
| Not endorsed by DCCC | 2 | |||||||||||
Campaign themes and policy stances
Dana Balter
| “ |
Guaranteeing Healthcare Healthcare is a fundamental human right. We must fight to ensure that every American has both coverage and access to quality healthcare. And we must make fiscally sound choices to bring the skyrocketing costs of healthcare down.
Medicare-for-All will achieve these goals. It will also significantly lower the out-of-pocket cost of healthcare services for individuals and families. Revitalizing the Economy We need an economy that works for everyone. Too many people are working too many hours for too little money. Central New York needs more, better-paying jobs and long-term growth.
Reforming the Criminal Justice System Equal protection under the law is a Central New York value. But there are problems in our country’s justice system that undermine that value. We need a renewed focus on rehabilitation and fairness.
Protecting Our Environment We are home to some of the most beautiful natural landscapes and resources in the country. But our environment is facing unprecedented dangers from climate disruption. More than ever, we need to continue the Central New York tradition of protecting and preserving our land, water, and air.
Strengthening Public Education Education is the cornerstone of democracy. Our public school system is under assault; the Department of Education is trying to privatize it. We cannot allow that to happen. Providing quality education is one of the government’s most important obligations to the people.
|
” |
| —Dana Balter for Congress[9] | ||
Juanita Perez Williams
| “ |
Health care Every American deserves quality, affordable care. I support guaranteeing access to coverage for all, lowering prescription drug costs and providing the resources necessary to address our opioid addiction epidemic. I strongly oppose Republican attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, impose an “age tax,” and take away protections for pre-existing conditions. I also firmly believe in women’s right to choose and will always defend and protect that right. I will defend and advocate for organizations like Planned Parenthood that offer women access, funding, and education with regard to their reproductive health. Education Jobs & Wages Though we have so much to offer, Central New York’s economy is still recovering. We need to make smart investments in infrastructure and skills training to build a diverse economy and a strong middle class. In partnership with local industry and schools, skills training programs can help young people and those changing careers get good-paying jobs close to home. With sensible tax policies and wage protections, we can foster innovation at home without leaving behind the farms and manufacturing centers that are the cornerstone of our region. Women have a right to control their own bodies. Reproductive health care decisions should be between a woman and her doctor – and nobody else. Environment Climate scientists have long agreed on the real danger of our changing climate. It’s time for our lawmakers to reach the same consensus as the rest of the world’s democracies and pass policies to ensure generations to come inherit a vibrant planet. Clean energy initiatives right here in Central New York could set us on the path to a sustainable future while creating good and meaningful jobs. |
” |
| —Juanita Perez Williams Democrat for Congress[10] | ||
District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+3, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 3 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made New York's 24th Congressional District the 178th most Democratic nationally.[11]
FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.90. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.90 points toward that party.[12]
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Katko | Republican Party | $2,778,979 | $3,016,492 | $48,188 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Dana Balter | Democratic Party | $2,735,634 | $2,711,649 | $23,985 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Juanita Perez Williams | Democratic Party | $181,806 | $181,806 | $0 | As of August 14, 2018 |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
|||||
Endorsements
The table below summarizes the endorsements Ballotpedia identified for Democratic candidates in the primary for New York's 24th Congressional District.
Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.
| Democratic candidate endorsements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Balter | Perez Williams |
| Organizations | ||
| Our Revolution[13] | ✔ | |
| MoveOn.org[14] | ✔ | |
| Working Families Party[13] | ✔ | |
| Democracy for America[14] | ✔ | |
| Progressive Change Campaign Committee[13] | ✔ | |
| NYPAN[14] | ✔ | |
Republican district won by Hillary Clinton
This district was one of 25 Republican-held U.S. House districts that Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election.[15] Nearly all were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2018.
Click on the table below to see the full list of districts.
Click here to see the 13 Democratic-held U.S. House districts that Donald Trump (R) won.
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in New York heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Democrats held both U.S. Senate seats in New York.
- Democrats held 17 of 27 U.S. House seats in New York.
State executives
- As of September 2018, Democrats held 5 of 11 state executive positions, and the remaining positions were officially nonpartisan.
- The governor of New York was Democrat Andrew Cuomo. The state held elections for governor and lieutenant governor on November 6, 2018.
State legislature
- Democrats controlled both chambers of the New York State Legislature. They had a 104-41 majority in the state Assembly and a 32-31 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- New York was a Democratic trifecta, meaning that the Democratic Party controlled the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate.
2018 elections
- See also: New York elections, 2018
New York held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- One U.S. Senate seat
- 18 U.S. House seats
- Governor and lieutenant governor
- Two lower state executive positions
- 63 state Senate seats
- 150 state Assembly seats
- Municipal elections in New York, Buffalo, and Erie County
Demographics
| Demographic data for New York | ||
|---|---|---|
| New York | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 19,747,183 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 47,126 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 64.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 15.6% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 8% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.9% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 18.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 85.6% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 34.2% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $59,269 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 18.5% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New York. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2016, New York's three largest cities were New York (pop. est. 8,622,698), Hempstead (pop. est. 774,959), and Brookhaven (pop. est. 486,170).[20][21]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in New York from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the New York State Board of Elections.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in New York every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), New York 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton |
59.0% |  Donald Trump |
36.5% | 22.5% |
| 2012 | Barack Obama |
63.3% | Mitt Romney |
35.2% | 28.1% |
| 2008 | Barack Obama |
62.9% | John McCain |
36.0% | 26.1% |
| 2004 | John Kerry |
58.4% | George W. Bush |
40.1% | 18.3% |
| 2000 | Al Gore |
60.2% | George W. Bush |
35.2% | 25.0% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in New York from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), New York 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Chuck Schumer |
70.7% | Wendy Long |
27.1% | 43.6% |
| 2012 | Kirsten Gillibrand |
67.6% | Wendy Long |
24.7% | 42.9% |
| 2010 | Chuck Schumer |
64.0% | Jay Townsend |
31.1% | 32.9% |
| 2008 | Hillary Clinton |
67.0% | John Spencer |
31.0% | 36.0% |
| 2004 | Chuck Schumer |
71.2% | Howard Mills |
24.2% | 47.0% |
| 2000 | Hillary Clinton |
55.3% | Rick Lazio |
43.0% | 22.3% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in New York.
| Election results (Governor), New York 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | Andrew Cuomo |
50.3% | Rob Astorino |
40.3% | 10.0% |
| 2010 | Andrew Cuomo |
61.0% | Carl Paladino |
32.5% | 28.5% |
| 2006 | Eliot Spitzer |
65.3% | John Faso |
27.1% | 38.2% |
| 2002 | George Pataki |
49.4% | Carl McCall |
33.5% | 15.9% |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent New York in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, New York 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 9 |
33.3% | 18 |
66.7% | D+7 |
| 2014 | 9 |
33.3% | 18 |
66.7% | D+7 |
| 2012 | 6 |
22.2% | 21 |
77.8% | D+15 |
| 2010 | 8 |
27.6% | 21 |
72.4% | D+13 |
| 2008 | 3 |
10.3% | 26 |
89.6% | D+23 |
| 2006 | 6 |
20.7% | 23 |
79.3% | D+17 |
| 2004 | 9 |
31.0% | 20 |
69.0% | D+9 |
| 2002 | 10 |
34.5% | 19 |
65.5% | D+9 |
| 2000 | 12 |
38.7% | 19 |
61.3% | D+7 |
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
New York Party Control: 1992-2025
Nine years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Assembly | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 2018
- United States House elections in New York (2018 Democratic primaries)
- New York's 24th Congressional District election (June 26, 2018 Republican primary)
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ The Daily Orange, "SU Professor Dana Balter leads Democratic race to challenge Rep. John Katko," February 24, 2018
- ↑ LocalSYR.com, "Juanita Perez Williams announces her candidacy for Congress exclusively with NewsChannel 9", April 6, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The New York Times, "National Democrats Wade, Uninvited, Into New York House Race," May 30, 2018
- ↑ The Citizen, "DCCC names Juanita Perez Williams for Congress to key 'Red to Blue' program, April 19, 2018
- ↑ Dana Balter for Congress, "Issues," accessed June 7, 2018
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 DCCC, "Red to Blue Candidates," accessed May 15, 2018
- ↑ The Intercept, "THE DEAD ENDERS: Candidates Who Signed Up to Battle Donald Trump Must Get Past the Democratic Party First," January 23, 2018
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ "Issues," accessed June 9, 2018
- ↑ "Priorities," accessed June 9, 2018
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Elect Dana Balter, "Endorsements," accessed May 29, 2018 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "danaendorse" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "danaendorse" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Saira for Congress, "Endorsements," accessed May 29, 2018
- ↑ This figure includes Pennsylvania districts that were redrawn by the state Supreme Court in early 2018 and districts that flipped in special elections.
- ↑ The new 1st district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 8th District held by Fitzpatrick. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 5th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 7th District held by Meehan. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 6th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 6th District held by Costello. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 7th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 15th District held by Dent. Click here to read more.
- ↑ New York Demographics, "New York Cities by Population," accessed September 4, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts New York," accessed September 4, 2018
