Yehuda Shaffer

Yehuda Shaffer

United Alliance Party

Candidate, New York City Council District 41

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 4, 2025

Education

High school

Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah

Personal

Profession

Emergency Responder

Contact

Campaign website

Yehuda Shaffer (United Alliance Party) is running for election to the New York City Council to represent District 41. Shaffer is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.

Shaffer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Yehuda Shaffer earned a high school diploma from the Talmudical Seminary Oholei Torah. Shaffer's career experience includes working as an emergency responder.

Elections

2025

See also: City elections in New York, New York (2025)

General election

General election for New York City Council District 41

Incumbent Darlene Mealy and Yehuda Shaffer are running in the general election for New York City Council District 41 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Darlene Mealy (D)
		Yehuda Shaffer (United Alliance Party)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic Primary for New York City Council District 41

Select round: Round 8 Round 7 Round 6 Round 5 Round 4 Round 3 Round 2 Round 1

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Darlene Mealy 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.

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Darlene Mealy	65.1	8,251	654	Advanced (8)
		Lawman Lynch	34.9	4,425	743	8
	Submit photo	Jammel Thompson	0.0	0	-2,926	8
	Submit photo	Bianca Cunningham	0.0	0	0	6
	Submit photo	Dante Arnwine	0.0	0	0	5
	Submit photo	Jamell Henderson	0.0	0	0	5
	Submit photo	Elijah Brown	0.0	0	0	4
		Clifton Hinton	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Darlene Mealy	53.5	7,597	0	Advanced (8)
		Lawman Lynch	25.9	3,682	0	8
	Submit photo	Jammel Thompson	20.6	2,926	0	8
	Submit photo	Bianca Cunningham	0.0	0	0	6
	Submit photo	Dante Arnwine	0.0	0	0	5
	Submit photo	Jamell Henderson	0.0	0	0	5
	Submit photo	Elijah Brown	0.0	0	0	4
		Clifton Hinton	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Darlene Mealy	53.5	7,597	353	Advanced (8)
		Lawman Lynch	25.9	3,682	777	8
	Submit photo	Jammel Thompson	20.6	2,926	372	8
	Submit photo	Bianca Cunningham	0.0	0	-2,537	6
	Submit photo	Dante Arnwine	0.0	0	0	5
	Submit photo	Jamell Henderson	0.0	0	0	5
	Submit photo	Elijah Brown	0.0	0	0	4
		Clifton Hinton	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Darlene Mealy	47.5	7,244	229	Advanced (8)
		Lawman Lynch	19.1	2,905	268	8
	Submit photo	Jammel Thompson	16.8	2,554	255	8
	Submit photo	Bianca Cunningham	16.6	2,537	357	6
	Submit photo	Jamell Henderson	0.0	0	-1,095	5
	Submit photo	Dante Arnwine	0.0	0	-706	5
	Submit photo	Elijah Brown	0.0	0	0	4
		Clifton Hinton	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Darlene Mealy	44.0	7,015	87	Advanced (8)
		Lawman Lynch	16.6	2,637	81	8
	Submit photo	Jammel Thompson	14.4	2,299	78	8
	Submit photo	Bianca Cunningham	13.7	2,180	68	6
	Submit photo	Jamell Henderson	6.9	1,095	61	5
	Submit photo	Dante Arnwine	4.4	706	45	5
	Submit photo	Elijah Brown	0.0	0	-641	4
		Clifton Hinton	0.0	0	0	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Darlene Mealy	42.9	6,928	21	Advanced (8)
		Lawman Lynch	15.8	2,556	19	8
	Submit photo	Jammel Thompson	13.7	2,221	19	8
	Submit photo	Bianca Cunningham	13.1	2,112	9	6
	Submit photo	Jamell Henderson	6.4	1,034	12	5
	Submit photo	Dante Arnwine	4.1	661	5	5
	Submit photo	Elijah Brown	4.0	641	18	4
		Clifton Hinton	0.0	0	-182	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Darlene Mealy	42.6	6,907	4	Advanced (8)
		Lawman Lynch	15.6	2,537	5	8
	Submit photo	Jammel Thompson	13.6	2,202	4	8
	Submit photo	Bianca Cunningham	13.0	2,103	5	6
	Submit photo	Jamell Henderson	6.3	1,022	2	5
	Submit photo	Dante Arnwine	4.0	656	1	5
	Submit photo	Elijah Brown	3.8	623	3	4
		Clifton Hinton	1.1	182	1	3

		Candidate	%	Total Votes	Transfer	Round eliminated
		Darlene Mealy	42.4	6,903	0	Advanced (8)
		Lawman Lynch	15.6	2,532	0	8
	Submit photo	Jammel Thompson	13.5	2,198	0	8
	Submit photo	Bianca Cunningham	12.9	2,098	0	6
	Submit photo	Jamell Henderson	6.3	1,020	0	5
	Submit photo	Dante Arnwine	4.0	655	0	5
	Submit photo	Elijah Brown	3.8	620	0	4
		Clifton Hinton	1.1	181	0	3
		Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.	0.4	67	0

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 16,274
= 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

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Yehuda Shaffer completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Shaffer's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Born and raised in Crown Heights, I grew up in a home that was uniquely welcoming.

Our door was open 24/7, and our upbringing was infused with a responsibility to others and to the community. On Shabbos and Jewish holidays, my parents&; table overflowed with family, friends and visitors from around the world in need of a warm inviting and enlightening experience. After studying in a Yeshiva in France for 3 years, I came home and worked as a video producer for nonprofits and bar/bas mitzva's and weddings. I enjoyed the challenge of creating powerful stories by capturing and organizing many meaningful moments. But I wanted to apply the values I was raised on: helping people where it truly matters. Switching career tracks, I enrolled in a Paramedic program. For the past decade, I have been a NYC paramedic.

Now, I respond to cries for help from every part of society, every day: down in the subways, up in luxury condos and along our Brooklyn streets. I see both the major need and the incredible opportunity in NYC. I’m running for City Council to do what I was raised to do: answer your call, hear your

need and get you the assistance you deserve.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• These days, NYC caters to two extremes: the incredibly rich and the desperately poor.

  The middle class—homeowners, shop-owners, small business owners—is the forgotten class. As councilman for District 41, I will refocus attention on the millions of hard-

  working middle-class citizens that make this city great.
• Solving a need starts with answering the phone. I live and work in this district and I am running to help our own neighborhood. As a council member, my office will answer the phone when you call and will stay focused on our local community.
• In the aftermath of the 1991 Crown Heights Riots, Mayor David Dinkins visited the Lubavitcher Rebbe and shared his hope for peace between “both sides.” The Rebbe responded, “Forget about ‘both sides.’ [We are] one side, one people, united by the management of New York City.” For me, this encounter holds a powerful message: elected officials can best use our positions to unite the constituencies we serve. Of course, I have personal political opinions, even strong ones. But the only belief that matters to my position is that people come first. As such, I will work with anyone, even those whose politics I disagree with, for the benefit of my constituents and NYC residents.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Any place where programs meet people, and policies affect the daily lives of citizens.

Mental health: A real problem that affects the person suffering, their families and everyone they encounter. We do not have sufficient public options. Private
care is prohibitive and inaccessible to most working people.
Public safety: I work with police officers, some very professional and those who are clearly burnt out. With improved standards, processes and support, compassionate policing is possible and practical.

Home ownership: After working so hard to buy a home, New Yorkers are hampered by bureaucracy from doing anything with it. Basic permits are impossible to navigate. I will work to make it easier to become a homeowner and maintain your home.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Officials in citywide positions, in legal positions, and statewide positions, need the input only available to the ‘street level’ politicians who interact with the people on a daily basis.
City councilmembers are uniquely positioned to hear and observe how proposals, policies and laws are actually playing out in the community.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My parents: as proud and principled Hassidic Jews, they raised us to accept people who don’t share our views. We were taught that differences are important. But being able to acknowledge and accept another’s view even when we strongly disagree with it is most important of all. Basic menchlechkait, human decency.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, common sense. Believe in the solutions you are proposing. Follow through after being elected. And always be open to hearing other views.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Answer the phone. Be a compassionate first responder to constituents, connect them with the services they need and represent them competently in city government.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to be remembered as someone who was there for their fellow man, to follow in the footsteps of Aaron the High Priest, of whom that Talmud writes: “he loved peace and pursued peace.”

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

August 1991. The Crown Heights riots. I was 8 at the time.
In the aftermath of those horrible days, it became clear that outside agitators had deliberately sown division and distrust, inciting people against their Jewish neighbors. It proved how important it is to build unity and trust locally, neighbor to neighbor. I am running for office to continue and improve on this important work.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I spent over a decade as a video producer for local nonprofits and local family events, weddings, bar/bas mitzvas and such.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Eating healthy. I find it very hard to eat foods that are good for me, and to stick to healthy portions. But I’ll keep trying!

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

As the “street level” of elected government in NYC, the office of city council should connect people with government services. I’d like to make this the most accessible office in the neighborhood, the welcome gateway for residents to get assistance.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Experience is always a good thing, and for this office, lived experience with how government services actually run is the best way to tackle persistent problems that
experienced politicians can’t seem to fix.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

First, people skills: patience, empathy and a willingness to listen.
Next, executive skills: creative thinking, problem-solving and decision-making that move solutions forward.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

City council members are elected to focus on the day-to-day needs of their communities. Too many officials exploit the “main street” image to advance their political careers, all but ignoring the people who elected them until the next election cycle.

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.

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Candidate

New York City Council District 41

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