Susan Lee (New York)
Susan Lee (Democratic Party) ran for election to the New York City Council to represent District 1. She lost in the Democratic primary on June 27, 2023.
Lee completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Susan Lee earned a high school diploma from Brooklyn Technical High School, a bachelor's degree from Barnard College of Columbia University in 2000, and a graduate degree from the New York University, Wagner School of Public Service in 2005. Her career experience includes working as a nonprofit executive.[1]
Elections
2023
See also: City elections in New York, New York (2023)
General election
General election for New York City Council District 1
Incumbent Christopher Marte defeated Helen Qiu in the general election for New York City Council District 1 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Christopher Marte (D) | 68.1 | 9,038 |
 | Helen Qiu (R / Conservative Party / Common Sense Party / Arts and Culture Party) | 30.9 | 4,102 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 123 | ||
| Total votes: 13,263 | |||
 = 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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Democratic primary election
Democratic Primary for New York City Council District 1
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Christopher Marte in round 1 .
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Total votes: 8,761 |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican Primary for New York City Council District 1
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Helen Qiu in round 1 .
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Conservative Party primary election
Conservative Primary for New York City Council District 1
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Helen Qiu in round 1 .
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Lee in this election.
2021
See also: City elections in New York, New York (2021)
General election
General election for New York City Council District 1
Christopher Marte defeated Maud Maron and Jacqueline Toboroff in the general election for New York City Council District 1 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Christopher Marte (D) | 72.1 | 16,733 |
 | Maud Maron (Independent NY Party) | 14.1 | 3,265 | |
| Jacqueline Toboroff (R) | 13.6 | 3,166 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 48 | ||
| Total votes: 23,212 | |||
| = 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 1
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Christopher Marte in round 8 . 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.
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Total votes: 21,834 |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Jacqueline Toboroff advanced from the Republican primary for New York City Council District 1.
Campaign themes
2023
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released June 9, 2023 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Susan Lee completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lee's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I’ve worked in the nonprofit sphere for most of my life. I spearheaded 9/11 recovery efforts at Sullivan and Cromwell LLP, I have worked as a freelance grant writer, and served on the Board of Directors of Nomi Network and the Board of Trustees of MercyFirst.
Most recently, I founded the SDR Park Alliance, which was awarded $3.3 million from Gov. Kathy Hochul's Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award.
District One is my home, and I will not rest until every constituent thrives. My community agrees: I’m honored to have received the endorsement of DC37, Citizens Union, the Uniformed Fire Officers Association, and many other family associations, labor unions, and community leaders.- Public safety and quality of life have decreased while crime has increased, leading to unemployment and economic instability. I want to work proactively to prevent hate crimes, get illegal guns off our streets and close illegal smoke shops that have proliferated in our communities, especially around schools.
- I am a product of the New York City public school system. There is a lot of work that needs to be done in our education system, and I am committed to do the hard work necessary so that all children have access to quality education regardless of where they live.
- Seniors have poured their hearts and souls into the communities they live in. With the rising cost of living, it is very difficult for some to remain in the neighborhoods they helped build. I am running for City Council because I strongly believe we need to support our senior residents as they age.
We need to do more to make our streets safer for pedestrians, especially seniors and wheelchair users. This is not just a public safety, but also a sanitation and infrastructure issue. We also need to invest in more public spaces, such as parks and plazas. Vibrant, inviting public spaces will inevitably attract more businesses, residents, and will provide valuable cultural capital to our district.
My aim is nothing short of building the most accessible and responsive City Council office in the city. Ultimately, I am a public servant, and am here to serve those in my district regardless of who they voted for.
The spirit of accountability begins in one’s own office. That is why, when elected, I will clearly and publicly display to which nonprofits our district’s discretionary funding is going.
When I assume office, I will ensure that officers walk the beat, talk to neighbors, and be incentivized to live in the communities that they patrol. We need to ensure that officers are properly trained, held accountable, and focusing on the concerns of the district residents.
First, we need to make sure that all new development is compatible with the character of our neighborhoods. District One has an incredibly rich history, and is home to some of the oldest ethnic communities in the city. We don't want to see our district transformed into something that it's not. We also need to make sure that any new development provides benefits to all residents, not just the wealthy.
Second, we need to be proactive in addressing the issue of gentrification and displacement. We need to make sure that new development doesn't price out existing residents. We can do this by providing affordable housing options, increasing the FAR cap, and by investing in programs that help people stay in their homes.
I believe that by engaging with all communities in District One, and developing a plan that reflects our values and goals, I can make a positive difference in our district. I am committed to working with the community to create a better future for everyone - and that begins with listening.
Here are some specific things that I would do to improve public safety in our district:
-I would invest in programs that prevent crime, such as after-school programs and job training programs.
-I would work to build stronger relationships between the police and the community, and incentivize police to stay -in the community . Having officers walking the beat is vital.
-I would promote legislation championing formation of a non-police mental health task force, to ensure that responses to mental health crises are always appropriate.
-I would support policies that address the root causes of crime, such as poverty and inequality.
As councilmember, I vow to clean and update our sewage system. While the construction of the seawall is a vital step forward in our quest for climate resiliency, we also must ensure that our sewers are prepared for heavy rainfall. Not only do we need to expand our existing sewage system, but the existing system must be cleaned and maintained to a far greater extent than it is in the present.
Here are some specific things that I would do to improve the police department:
-I would increase the number of community-based police officers. These officers would be responsible for building relationships with the community and for proactively preventing crime, in addition to responding to it.
-I would have more officers routinely walk a beat in all areas of the district, especially those with frequently reported violent crime incidents.
-I would promote the financial incentivization of officers to rent or buy in the precincts they work in, and similarly incentivize qualified, caring residents to become officers in their own neighborhoods.
-I would promote investment in training for police officers on how to de-escalate situations and how to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
-I would have implemented a widespread testing and contact tracing program. This would have helped to identify and isolate cases of COVID-19, slowing the spread of the virus.
-I would have provided financial assistance to businesses and individuals who were struggling due to the pandemic. This would have helped to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic, especially for our small businesses, many of whom were ordered to close their doors, yet provided little state, city or federal assistance.
-I would have worked to increase access to vaccines and other treatments for COVID-19. This would have helped to protect people from the virus and to reduce the number of hospitalizations and deaths.
I am the founding board member of SDR Park Alliance. I am thrilled that our organization was awarded $3.3 million from Governor Hochul's Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award. This significant investment will allow us to renovate Sara D. Roosevelt Park, creating a green sanctuary for use by a multicultural and multigenerational neighborhood.
Ensuring that everyone is represented, and their voices are heard, regardless of who they are, what language they speak, or where they live.
Under my leadership, SDR Park Alliance was awarded $3.3M from Hochul's office to revitalize Sara D. Roosevelt park.
Financial know-how in the public sector: The City Council is responsible for managing a large budget, and it is important for Councilmembers to have a strong understanding of how to make sound financial decisions.
Ties to the neighborhood: Councilmembers should be familiar with the needs and concerns of their constituents, and they should be able to build relationships with community leaders.
Experience in the public and nonprofit sectors: Councilmembers should have experience working in government or in the nonprofit sector. This experience will give them the skills and knowledge they need to be effective advocates for their constituents.
-504 Democratic Club
-Citizens Union
-United Democratic Organization
-Uniformed Fire Officers Association
-New Leaf Democrats
-Eleanor’s Legacy
-The New Majority
-District Leader Justin Yu
-American Institute of Architects
-American Council of Engineering Companies of New York City
-International Union of Operating Engineers
-Lee Family Association of NY
-New York Lung Kong Tin Yee Association
-Yee Shan Benevolent Society
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.
Note: Community Questions were submitted by the public and chosen for inclusion by a volunteer advisory board. The chosen questions were modified by staff to adhere to Ballotpedia’s neutrality standards. To learn more about Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Expansion Project, click here.
2021
Susan Lee did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2023 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 15, 2023
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