Greenpointers’ Guide to Election Day 2023

As Halloween wraps up, another important time of year takes the stage — Election Day!

This year is not a particularly flashy one for our neck of the woods, but all elections matter and everyone has a voice. In our own city council district, the 33rd, first-term incumbent Lincoln Restler is up for reelection and faces a challenger in Republican candidate Martha Rowen. Aside from the city council election, North Brooklynites will vote on a local Supreme Court justice, a Surrogate Court judge, two Kings County Civil Court judges, and two amendments (Brooklyn Daily Eagle has a rundown on the Kings County judicial elections).

Early voting is already underway and will continue through November 5. Polling locations are open at different times throughout the week, so be sure to check the city’s official elections site before heading out. You can also use the site to determine your nearest polling place.

Election Day will take place on Tuesday, November 7 and polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

We asked both candidates for City Council for a statement, and we’re including them below:

Lincoln Restler

Lincoln Restler is the Democratic incumbent who was first elected in 2021. He is also running on the Working Families party line.

“This is the community that raised me, and I’ve been so honored to serve as your Council Member for the last two years. Way back in 2010, I ran for office for a little known position, Democratic District Leader, to take on the Brooklyn machine and against all odds – the Greenpoint community propelled us to victory! From way back then to serving as your Council Member – my core values of advancing transparency, equity, and accountability in our government guide my work to this day.

Our office has been working hard to deliver for Greenpoint — we’re building new affordable housing, planting new street trees in every available tree bed, fighting for our promised parks and schools, advocating for safer streets and better transportation, and making our community more resilient to the climate crisis. In just two years, we have resolved more than 1,500 constituent issues from getting new street lights installed to securing housing for neighbors.

Like in 2021, I’m thrilled to once again be endorsed by the progressive leaders in our City: the Working Families Party, the Sunrise Movement, U.S. Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Comptroller Brad Lander, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, our Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, many labor unions and more. 

I’m going to keep fighting for our shared values, standing up to powerful interests, and improving our neighborhoods — across our public schools, parks and playgrounds, libraries, and senior centers. I hope I’ve earned your vote for re-election!”

Martha Rowen

Martha Rowen is running on the Republican/Conservative/Medical Freedom Party lines. She previously ran for State Senate District 26. The Medical Freedom Party’s website says it believes in “the inalienable right to bodily autonomy” and organizes against vaccine mandates. [Editor’s note: Doctors and scientists overwhelmingly agree on the safety and efficacy of vaccinations at preventing various illnesses, including COVID-19.]

“I’m a wife, mother and grandmother, a retired high school and college teacher. I have lived in Brooklyn all my adult life, and have family roots in Bay Ridge. My husband and I raised our daughter in Brooklyn Heights, where we have lived for decades. I have been a community activist for many years, most recently as co-founder of Citizens Defending Libraries, to protect libraries, free speech, and information access. I am running to bring us back to a healthy civic life, rein in government overreach by limiting the powers of elected and unelected officials, to make sure that the concerns of members of the community are heard and given priority, and to institute reforms to protect our rights.”