In New York City, special elections are held to temporarily fill vacancies in city offices resulting from an elected official’s resignation, removal, death, or permanent incapacitation.
A special election takes place in a shorter time period than a primary or general election. Within three days of a vacancy, the mayor proclaims a special election date and the ballot petitioning process begins. Petitions must be submitted to the New York City Board of Elections (City BOE) within 12 days of the mayor’s proclamation. Candidates who wish to participate in the Campaign Finance Program must submit a Certification to the CFB within 14 days of the mayor’s proclamation. Candidates must also file a personal financial disclosure report with the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB).
Special elections are usually held on the first Tuesday at least 80 days after the office has been vacated. The election date will be confirmed in the mayor’s proclamation.
If a Candidate Has Already Opened a Committee
If a candidate has registered a committee for the next citywide election, he or she must use that committee for the special election. All funds raised and spent by a campaign are presumed to be for the candidate’s next election. Once a special election is declared, the candidate must register his or her committee for the special election with the CFB and the campaign’s C-SMART will be updated to reflect the special election.
If a Candidate Has Not Opened a Committee
Follow the steps in Start Your Campaign.
Recordkeeping
All recordkeeping requirements for a special election are the same as for a primary and general election in a four-year cycle. Campaigns must keep detailed records and documentation for each financial transaction.
Campaigns must use the special election contribution card when collecting contributions after the special election has been proclaimed.
Filing Disclosure Statements
All candidates for special elections are required to register and file disclosure statements with the CFB. You must disclose all contributions and expenditures in the disclosure statement due immediately after they are received/incurred using the CFB’s financial disclosure application, C-SMART. Candidates must continue to file disclosure with the CFB through the audit process and until the campaign has paid all outstanding liabilities and appropriately disposed of all assets.
Any candidate who fails to comply with the disclosure statement requirements may be subject to financial penalties. All official CFB notices from Audit and Legal will be sent electronically via the CFB Portal.
Contribution Limits
The contribution limit for a special election is half the contribution limit for the standard four-year election cycle (this includes the doing business limit). If a candidate has accepted contributions over the special election limits, they must refund the excess amounts to contributors by certified or bank check from the committee’s bank account before the first disclosure statement. Copies of the refund checks must be submitted with the first disclosure statement. Contribution limits apply to all candidates, whether or not they join the Campaign Finance Program.
| Office | Special Election Contribution Limit New Program (Option A) |
Special Election Contribution Limit Old Program (Option B)/Non-Participant |
| Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller | $1,000 | $2,550 |
| Borough President | $750 | $1,975 |
| City Council | $500 | $1,425 |
Like in regular four-year election cycles, you can accept a contribution from a political committee only if the committee has registered with the CFB for the next citywide election. View a list of registered political committees for this election cycle.
Special Election Doing Business Limit
| Office | Special Election Doing Business Limit |
| Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller | $200 |
| Borough President | $160 |
| City Council | $125 |
Access the Doing Business Database
Expenditure Limit
The expenditure limit in a special election is equal to the limit for a primary or general election in a standard four-year election cycle. If the campaign has already spent money prior to the announcement of the special election, that spending will be presumed to be for the special election.
| Office | Special Election Expenditure Limit |
| Mayor | $7,286,000 |
| Public Advocate, Comptroller | $4,555,000 |
| Borough President | $1,640,000 |
| City Council | $190,000 |
The matching rate and the maximum matchable amount per contributor are the same as in a regular citywide election.
New Program (Option A)
|
Office |
Matching Rate |
Maximum Matchable Per Contributor |
Maximum Public Funds Per Contributor |
Maximum Public Funds Per Election† |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mayor |
$8-to-$1 |
$250 |
$2,000 |
$5,464,500 |
|
Public Advocate and Comptroller |
$250 |
$2,000 |
$3,416,250 |
|
|
Borough President |
$175 |
$1,400 |
$1,230,000 |
|
|
City Council |
$175 |
$1,400 |
$142,500 |
† 75% of applicable spending limit
Old Program (Option B)
|
Office |
Matching Rate |
Maximum Matchable Public Funds Per Contributor |
Maximum Public Funds Per Contributor |
Maximum Public Funds Per Election‡ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mayor |
$6-to-$1 |
$175 |
$1,050 |
$4,007,300 |
|
Public Advocate and Comptroller |
$175 |
$1,050 |
$2,505,250 |
|
|
Borough President |
$175 |
$1,050 |
$902,000 |
|
|
City Council |
$175 |
$1,050 |
$104,500 |
‡ 55% of applicable spending limit
Choosing Option B means that you will be eligible to receive less in public funds but will be allowed to collect contributions at a higher limit.
Whichever program option candidates choose, to be eligible to receive public funds, all candidates must join the Campaign Finance Program and meet the following criteria:
- Be in compliance with the Campaign Finance Actand CFB Rules, including abiding by a strict spending limit.
- Certify into the Program using the CFB Portal.
- Meet a two-part financial threshold. (See below)
- Submit a personal financial disclosure statement to the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board (COIB).
- Be on the ballot and face an opponent on the ballot.
To qualify for matching funds, candidates must meet the following thresholds.
|
Office |
Special Election Dollar Threshold |
Special Election Contributor Threshold |
|---|---|---|
|
Mayor |
$125,000 |
1,000 |
|
Public Advocate, Comptroller |
$62,500 |
500 |
|
Borough President |
$10,000 – $50,094* |
100 † |
|
City Council |
$5,000 |
75 ‡ |
*The threshold amount is based upon the number of persons living in each borough, according to the 2010 Census and rounded to the nearest dollar. The amount for each borough is: Bronx ($27,702), Brooklyn ($50,094), Manhattan ($31,717), Queens ($44,614), and Staten Island ($10,000).
† Must be borough residents.
‡ Must be district residents.
All candidates must submit disclosure statements to the CFB. The Disclosure Deadlines page will include relevant disclosure deadlines once a special election has been proclaimed.