In a crowded mayoral primary, the last thing you may be thinking about is what judge to vote for.
Every year, judicial vacancies open up across New York City’s court divisions, but few judicial races are competitive and most will not appear on the ballot in June’s primary elections.
But some city voters will vote directly for Civil Court judges this June, a position that presides over things including tenant-landlord issues and civil lawsuits seeking up to $50,000. The role comes with a 10-year term and a salary of $216,400.
Of the 14 Civil Court vacancies in the city this year, only five races are contested, meaning more than one candidate is vying for the seat.
New Yorkers will also vote for their picks to attend the judicial nominating convention, where delegates choose their candidates for state Supreme Court (more on these positions later).
: Because judge positions are part of the state court system — rather than city-level offices like mayor or comptroller — they are not chosen by ranked choice voting in the primary.
Why are so few judge races contested?
In most judicial vacancies, the candidate is predetermined by party insiders and runs uncontested, in which case they won’t appear on your ballot at all.
As THE CITY has reported on previously, political patronage plays a significant part in securing judicial nominations, and they are in many cases a lot of money and insider . In most cases, party connections are enough to ensure incumbent judges and party favorites are the frontrunners in judicial races.
Because judicial delegations often consist of people closely tied to the local party, there is little debate over who the nominee will be.
“They don’t even know the judges, they just vote for them. They’re told by their political leaders,” said Alan Flacks, a longtime judicial and county party watcher who pens a newsletter on the subject.
Unlike other elected positions, judicial candidates have many limitations on how they can fundraise. Judges cannot personally solicit donations and must rely on committees to fundraise on their behalf, or personally finance their own campaigns.
The Candidates for 2025
Depending on where you live, you may see judicial candidates on your ballot this June. You can also take a look at your sample ballot here. Here’s what’s being contested in The Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens:
Bronx: Judge of the Civil Court
All Bronx residents will vote for one candidate.
Brooklyn: Judge of the Civil Court
All Brooklyn residents will vote for two candidates.
Queens: Judge of the Civil Court
All Queens residents will vote for one candidate.
- John J. Ciafone
- Sheridan C. Chu
Judge of the Civil Court, 1st Municipal Court District, Queens
This district covers Astoria, Long Island City, Ravenswood and Queensbridge. Voters will choose one candidate.
Judge of the Civil Court, 2nd Municipal Court District, Queens
This district covers Sunnyside, Woodside, Sunnyside Gardens, Blissville and parts of Long Island City. Voters will choose one candidate.
Who are the delegates to the judicial convention?
Voters will also have the opportunity to choose their judicial nominee to the New York Supreme Court, but not until November.
However,on the primary ballot, voters in eight Assembly districts in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens will choose a slate of delegates and alternate delegates to attend the judicial convention, who then go on to select the New York Supreme Court nominee that appears on the November ballot.
New York is the only state that requires Supreme Court nominees to be chosen through party conventions, a century-old statute that was established when the state Supreme Court was the only trial court in the state.
Delegates, who often run as a group to fill the varying number of seats available, attend their county’s judicial nominating convention in the weeks after the June primary, or send an alternate delegate if unavailable.
While there are few requirements to run for a seat, delegates are often heavily involved in local party politics, or have previously held an elected position, such as former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and term-limited Councilmember Diana Ayala, who are currently seeking the position. But like judicial races, the delegates will only appear on the June ballot if the election is contested.
At the convention, delegates cast their votes for their pick, but how they are chosen depends on the county. In The Bronx and Queens, nominations are pushed by the local parties. In Manhattan, nominees are vetted by a screening . Those who make it through then host catered meet-and-greets — at their own expense — to introduce themselves to candidates ahead of the vote.
Critics argue that the judicial delegation system is antiquated and prevents voters from directly participating in the election process. Reforming the convention system would require “significant statutory reform” according to Sarah Steiner, a NYC-based lawyer specializing in election law. In 2008, the United States Supreme Court upheld the process in a unanimous decision after then Brooklyn Civil Court judge Margarita Lopez Torres filed a suit against the State Board of Elections after she was thwarted by party bosses in an attempt to run for a seat on the state Supreme Court..
What do the different courts do?
New York City has five different main court systems. On your ballot this year, some New Yorkers will see judicial candidates for the Supreme Court and Civil Court.
- Supreme Court: Unlike our national Supreme Court, the New York Supreme Court is not the highest court in the state — that’s the Court of Appeals, whose judges are appointed by the governor. The Supreme Court deals with criminal and civil cases and is the only court that can grant divorce proceedings. It also generally only hears cases that are outside the jurisdiction of other state and city courts. Supreme Court judges are elected to serve 14-year .
- New York City Civil Court: Civil Court deals with civil cases, i.e. cases that have to do with disputes between people or organizations, rather than cases which deal with the violation of a criminal law. It deals with cases involving amounts of money up to $50,000, and it’s also where you’ll find small claims court and housing court. Civil Court judges serve 10-year .
- Surrogate’s Court: The Surrogate’s Court deals with issues involving decedents, which includes handling wills, estates and adoptions. The Surrogate judge is elected to serve a 14-year term, or until retirement at 70.
New York City also has 2024.
