Rafael Salamanca Jr. - Ballotpedia

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Tenure

2016 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

9

Report an officeholder change

Rafael Salamanca Jr. (Democratic Party) is a member of the New York City Council, representing District 17. He assumed office in 2016. His current term ends on January 1, 2026.

Salamanca (Democratic Party) ran for election for Bronx Borough President in New York. He lost in the Democratic primary on June 24, 2025.

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

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Salamanca previously served as the district manager and committee board chair of the Bronx Community Board 2.^[1]

Elections

2025

See also: Municipal elections in Bronx County, New York (2025)

General election

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

General election for Bronx Borough President

Incumbent Vanessa Gibson and Grace Marrero are running in the general election for Bronx Borough President on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Vanessa Gibson (D / Working Families Party)
		Grace Marrero (R / Conservative Party)

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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 Bronx Borough President

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Vanessa Gibson in round 1 .

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 104,921
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Republican primary election

Republican Primary for Bronx Borough President

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Grace Marrero in round 1 .

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Conservative Party primary election

Conservative Primary for Bronx Borough President

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Grace Marrero in round 1 .

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Working Families Party primary election

Working Families Primary for Bronx Borough President

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Vanessa Gibson in round 1 .

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

Endorsements

To view Salamanca's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2023

See also: City elections in New York, New York (2023)

General election

General election for New York City Council District 17

Incumbent Rafael Salamanca Jr. defeated Rosaline Nieves and Gonzalo Duran in the general election for New York City Council District 17 on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rafael Salamanca Jr. (D)	84.8	3,693
	Submit photo	Rosaline Nieves (R)	10.6	461
		Gonzalo Duran (Conservative Party)	4.2	182
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	20

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,356
= 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 17

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Rafael Salamanca Jr. in round 1 .

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

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Gonzalo Duran (D)

Republican primary election

Republican Primary for New York City Council District 17

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Rosaline Nieves in round 1 .

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Conservative Party primary election

Conservative Primary for New York City Council District 17

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Gonzalo Duran in round 1 .

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Salamanca in this election.

2021

See also: City elections in New York, New York (2021)

General election

General election for New York City Council District 17

Incumbent Rafael Salamanca Jr. defeated Jose A. Colon and Lattina Brown in the general election for New York City Council District 17 on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rafael Salamanca Jr. (D)	80.3	8,729
	Submit photo	Jose A. Colon (R)	10.7	1,167
		Lattina Brown (Black Women Lead Party)	8.9	964
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	17

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,877
= 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 17

The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Rafael Salamanca Jr. in round 1 .

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,049
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Jose A. Colon advanced from the Republican primary for New York City Council District 17.

2017

See also: Municipal elections in New York, New York (2017)

New York City held elections for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, and all 51 seats on the city council in 2017. New Yorkers also voted for offices in their boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

Primary elections were scheduled for September 12, 2017, and the general election was on November 7, 2017. Under New York law, candidates who run unopposed in a primary or general election win the nomination or election automatically, and their names do not appear on the ballot.^[2] Incumbent Rafael Salamanca (D) defeated Patrick Delices (R), Oswald Denis (Conservative), and Elvis Santana (Empower Society) in the general election for the District 17 seat on the New York City Council.

New York City Council, District 17 General Election, 2017
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Rafael Salamanca Incumbent	92.26%	11,512
	Republican	Patrick Delices	3.47%	433
	Conservative	Oswald Denis	2.26%	282
	Empower Society	Elvis Santana	1.81%	226
		Write-in votes	0.2%	25
Total Votes				12,478
Source: New York City Board of Elections, "2017 General Certified Election Results," November 28, 2017

Incumbent Rafael Salamanca defeated Helen Hines in the Democratic primary election for the District 17 seat on the New York City Council.^[3]

New York City Council, District 17 Democratic Primary Election, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Rafael Salamanca Incumbent	72.17%	4,840
Helen Hines	27.36%	1,835
Write-in votes	0.46%	31
Total Votes		6,706
Source: New York City Board of Elections, "2017 Primary: Certified Results," accessed September 28, 2017

2016

See also: Municipal elections in New York, New York (2016)

The city of New York, New York, held a special election for District 17 of the city council on February 23, 2016. Maria del Carmen Arroyo, who previously held the position, resigned from the council on December 31, 2015. The winner of the 2016 special election served a term that expired on December 31, 2016. The following candidates ran in the New York City Council District 17 special election.^[4]

New York City Council District 17, Special Election, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Rafael Salamanca Jr.	39.12%	1,455
George Alvarez	24.25%	902
Julio Pabon	15.11%	562
J. Loren Russell	10.84%	403
Joann Otero	7.13%	265
Marlon Molina	3.09%	115
Write-in votes	0.46%	17
Total Votes		3,719
Source: New York City Board of Elections, "Certified Results Special Election 17th Council," March 8, 2016

Campaign themes

2025

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released May 21, 2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Rafael Salamanca Jr. completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Salamanca'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.

Rafael Salamanca Jr. has spent his life fighting for the Bronx. The proud son of first-generation Puerto Rican parents, he was born and raised here—and is now raising his own family in the same borough that shaped him. From his early days in healthcare to his leadership as District Manager of Bronx Community Board 2, and now as City Council Member for the 17th District, Rafael has always put the Bronx first.

As Chair of the Council’s powerful Land Use Committee, Rafael made affordable housing a top priority—delivering thousands of new homes for families, seniors, and veterans. He’s secured over $400 million in capital investments to improve schools, build parks, and create good-paying jobs across the borough. And with the rebuilding of the Hunts Point Produce Market, he’s bringing even more opportunity to working families.

For Rafael, this work is personal. He knows what it means to live here, to raise kids here, and to want something better for the next generation—safer streets, stronger schools, and a borough that works for the people who call it home.

Now, Rafael is running for Bronx Borough President with a clear mission: to manage this borough like it matters. With a track record of real results and deep community roots, he’s ready to keep fighting—and delivering—for the Bronx.

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?

Our borough is being mismanaged—and it shows. From unsafe streets to unresponsive city services, Bronx families are being let down. I’m running to bring real leadership to Borough Hall: someone who will roll up their sleeves, coordinate across agencies, and make sure every corner of the Bronx gets the attention it deserves. The Bronx needs a manager, not a figurehead.
Fighting for a Safer, Stronger, More Affordable Bronx. I’ve spent my career delivering for the Bronx—because I live here, I raise my family here, and I know what’s at stake. I’m fighting for safer streets with better lighting and more NYPD cameras. I’m fighting for stronger neighborhoods with investments in schools, parks, and youth programs. And I’m fighting for real affordability—housing our families can actually afford and local jobs that pay a fair wage. This campaign is about making the Bronx work for the people who built it.
A Lifelong Bronxite Who Delivers. I’m not new to the Bronx—and I’m not new to the fight. Born and raised here, I’ve dedicated my career to serving this borough at every level—from healthcare to community boards to City Hall. I know our neighborhoods, I know our challenges, and I know how to get results. I’ve delivered thousands of affordable homes, secured over $400 million in investments, and fought every day for the dignity and needs of Bronx families. This isn’t a job to me—it’s personal.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m deeply committed to public safety, affordable housing, quality healthcare, and creating a borough that works for everyone—from our youth to our seniors. I believe every Bronxite deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, have access to a doctor, and live in a home they can afford. I’m passionate about expanding public space, investing in our parks, and making sure young people have real opportunities through after-school programs and summer jobs. I also care deeply about our seniors—ensuring they can age with dignity and support. And I’m focused on building a stronger local economy that prioritizes Bronx jobs for Bronx residents.

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

An elected official must be a manager—someone who can deliver results, not just make promises. They must be a listener, grounded in the needs and voices of the community. And above all, they must lead with honesty—keeping their word, showing up, and following through. It’s not about titles—it’s about trust.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want my legacy to be one that’s visible across the Bronx—a lasting, physical difference in our neighborhoods. I want people to see the schools that were rebuilt, the affordable housing that was created, the parks that were restored, and the jobs that were brought home. I want to be remembered as someone who helped lead the renaissance of the Bronx—who fought for this borough and delivered real, lasting change for generations to come.

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

My first job was at Urban Health Plan, where I worked for seven years as an Assistant Administrator. It was there that I saw firsthand how access to quality healthcare can transform lives—and it shaped my commitment to serving the Bronx and fighting for underserved communities.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The last song that got stuck in my head was Anxiety by Doechii. It hits hard—and sometimes, it’s the kind of track that just sticks with you, especially when you're juggling a million things and still trying to stay grounded.

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

Yes—many people don’t realize the Borough President oversees nonprofit arms like the Bronx Economic Development Corporation and the Bronx Tourism Council, which can be powerful tools for driving investment and promoting local culture. The office also appoints representatives to important boards, like the retirees’ pension fund, and oversees the Topography Office, which manages official borough maps and property records. These lesser-known powers can have a real impact on development, transparency, and how resources are directed across the Bronx.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I have been endorsed by The Unity Democratic Club, The New York Immigration Coalition Action Fund, The Latino Victory Fund, The League of Humane Voters, NYCLASS, and the Lights Out Coalition. I have endorsements from Assemblymember John Zaccaro Jr, Assemblymember Amanda Septimo, Former Assemblymember & Councilmember Carmen Arroyo, Former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer. More endorsements to be announced.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency and government accountability are non-negotiable. Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is spent, and elected officials must be held to the highest standards. Transparency builds trust—and it's how we make sure government works for the people, not just for those in power.

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.

2023

Rafael Salamanca Jr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2021

Rafael Salamanca Jr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2021 Candidate Connection survey.

2016

Salamanca's campaign website highlighted the following campaign themes:^[5]

Quality of life

Excerpt: "I’ve made fighting to improve our quality of life in the Bronx a hallmark of my work as District Manager of Community Board 2. We have worked to increase access to transportation by getting the Bx46 bus line; improved safety for pedestrians and motorists at Bruckner Blvd; made Hunts Points safer by shutting down all five topless establishments; moved Community Precinct Council meetings out into the community and increased transparency in community-police relations; and worked to lower car and homeowner insurance for local families by removing Rikers Island statistics from our local precinct’s reports."

Economic development

Excerpt: "With a construction boom on the waterfront in the South Bronx happening today, we need to ensure the jobs surrounding those projects are given to those in the community, and that they are that these workers are provided with opportunities to organize and collectively bargain."

Education

Excerpt: "As a Council Member, I would be a strong advocate for public education and would actively work with principals and teachers to identify additional resources, and help increase parent involvement in and out of the classroom."

See also

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Bronx Borough President

Officeholder

New York City Council District 17

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Rafael Salamanca official campaign website, accessed February 5, 2016
↑ New York Election Law, "Sec 6-160. Primaries," accessed July 14, 2017
↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email correspondence with the New York City Board of Elections," July 14, 2017
↑ New York City Board of Elections, "Special Election 17th Council Candidate List," January 20, 2016
↑ Rafael Salamanca official campaign website, "Issues," accessed February 9, 2016

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