Donovan Richards Wins Queens Borough President Primary

QUEENS, NY — After six weeks of delays, City Council Member Donovan Richards was certified as the winner of the Democratic primary for Queens borough president.

Richards, who represents Southeastern Queens in the City Council, earned about a third of the 193,000 ballots cast in the five-person race, according to New York City Board of Elections tallies released on Wednesday.

He led his closest rival, former City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, by nearly 13,000 votes.

The Board of Elections confirmed the results after spending weeks counting the record 400,000 absentee ballots cast in the June 23 election.

Nearly 67,000 voters in the Queens borough president race used mail-in ballots, according to the Board of Elections.

Richards will face Queens GOP Chair Joann Ariola in the November general election.

Former Queens Borough President Melinda Katz vacated the seat in January, after she was elected as the borough's district attorney. Sharon Lee, her deputy, has since served as acting Queens borough president.