Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Paul Pogozelski
Paul Pogozelski (Democratic Party) ran for election to the New York City Council to represent District 30. He lost in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2025.
Pogozelski completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Paul Pogozelski was born in Islip, New York. He earned a high school diploma from Seaford High School. His career experience includes working as a consultant. He was the owner and president of Pogo Distribution Inc. from 1999 to 2023.[1]
Pogozelski has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]
- President of Middle Village Property Owners and Residents Association
- Chaplain of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
- Founder and President of the Middle Village Roller Hockey Association
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in New York, New York (2025)
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for New York City Council District 30
Phil Wong and Alicia Vaichunas are running in the general election for New York City Council District 30 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Phil Wong (D) | ||
| Alicia Vaichunas (R / Conservative Party) | ||
| ||||
 = 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. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic Primary for New York City Council District 30
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Phil Wong in round 3 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.
|
Total votes: 12,804 |
|||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican Primary for New York City Council District 30
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Alicia Vaichunas in round 1 .
|
||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Conservative Party primary election
Conservative Primary for New York City Council District 30
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Alicia Vaichunas in round 1 .
|
||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2025
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released April 11, 2025 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Paul Pogozelski completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pogozelski's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I ran a small logistics business for over 20 years out of Middle Village, scheduling deliveries, managing a team of trucking specialists, and finding my true passion for the neighborhood. The experience I gained taught me how to build connections, become an expert at problem-solving, and turn plans into action.
I made one of the best decisions of my life after many years of working when I decided to sell my successful small business. That decision allowed me to spend more time with my family and ultimately paved the way for my civic life to begin.
I took it upon myself to revitalize a small youth sports organization that was nearly long forgotten in Middle Village and became President of the Middle Village Players Roller Hockey League. I had help from amazing neighbors I met along the way, and I’m happy to say it’s still running strong ever since.
I’m running for New York City Council District 30 to continue to build a better neighborhood. I’ve seen first-hand that this district really needs someone who’s willing to be proactive about the neighborhood.
I believe I am just like all of my neighbors who deserve to stake a claim in their local government. When it comes to democracy, we need to elect someone who is of the people, and I believe I am that candidate.- Public Safety is above all else in my candidacy for New York City Council District 30. Our neighborhoods need a criminal justice system that will keep repeat criminals in handcuffs and not let them go free in a matter of hours. The NYPD and our first responders need the proper resources from the city to do their jobs, and not having this sweeping support will continue to leave people questioning if they are truly safe on the street. Support for law enforcement means safer streets, and that only boosts the quality of life in our neighborhoods.
- I aim to bring a sense of stewardship back to our New York City Parks. These green spaces provide a space for hardworking families, older adults, and more residents to enjoy the outdoors. Not only does it boost physical health, but mental health as well. I’ve seen how constant littering, unpermitted parties, and vandalism have taken hold in our parks, and it must stop now. If people aren’t comfortable spending time in our parks, then community engagement falls, and that will not be acceptable in my candidacy.
- The cost of living in New York City has reached record highs in recent years, making it extremely difficult for any working-class family to live comfortably. Access to affordable produce, building materials, and amenities needs to return to normal. The key to balancing our costs is to support our small businesses. By promoting fixed long-term leases and working with city agencies to provide adequate support, we can help give the right businesses the financial means to help us afford our basic needs. This same issue falls in-line with making sure residents aren’t paying for projects not approved by our neighbors, such as congestion pricing and the City of Yes.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
| |||||||||
