Justin Brannan, Susan Zhuang win key City Council races in Brooklyn
NEW YORK -- There were some key City Council races in Brooklyn on Tuesday.
The latest Census results showed a large population increase among Asian Americans in New York City, including in the 43rd District in Brooklyn.
The 43rd District now has a nearly 54% Asian majority. It runs through parts of Sunset Park, Borough Park, Bath Beach, Bensonhurst and Gravesend.
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Democrat Susan Zhuang, Republican Ying Yan and conservative Vito Labella ran in this election without an incumbent.
Zhuang won the seat, defeating her opponents.
Poll workers said there were a few minor issues early Tuesday morning with one of the scanners down.
There was a steady stream of voters since CBS New York's cameras were there. Workers say more than 300 ballots were cast Tuesday, and of course, that doesn't include early voting.
"I worked 2022, we had far more people around, but it's an off-year of an off-year. Considering that, I've actually had more people than I expected," scanner inspector Vincent Gecevice said.
There was another hotly contested seat in the 47th Council District.
Democrat Justin Brannan gave his victory speech Tuesday night, saying he now has new neighborhoods to represent.
"Tomorrow morning, I don't care if you voted for me or not, it's back to work and it's back to serving the people," Brannan said.
This is a redistricted seat, which encompasses Bay Ridge and Coney Island. Brannan faced a unique race against Republican Councilmember Ari Kagan, who represented the old boundaries of the district.
Kagan conceded about an hour after polls closed but told us he was proud of the campaign he ran.
"This race did not end the way we wanted. We worked very hard. We brought important issues that are relevant to all New Yorkers," he said.