# New York City's 45th City Council district

New York City's 45th City Council district is one of 51 districts in the New York City Council. It has been represented by Democrat Farah Louis since a 2019 special election to replace fellow Democrat Jumaane Williams.

## Geography

District 45 is based in East Flatbush and Flatlands in Brooklyn, also covering parts of Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, and Kensington.
The district overlaps with Brooklyn Community Boards 12, 14, 15, 17, and 18, and with New York's 8th and 9th congressional districts. It also overlaps with the 17th, 19th, 21st, and 22nd districts of the New York State Senate, and with the 41st, 42nd, 44th, 48th, 58th, and 59th districts of the New York State Assembly.

## Members representing the district

| Members | Party | Years served | Electoral history |
| District established January 1, 1992 ||||
| Susan Alter (East Flatbush) | Democratic | January 1, 1992 – December 31, 1993 | Redistricted from the 25th district and re-elected in 1991. Retired and ran for New York City Public Advocate. |
| Lloyd Henry (Flatbush) | Democratic | January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2001 | Elected in 1993. Re-elected in 1997. Termed out. |
| Kendall Stewart (East Flatbush) | Democratic | January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2009 | Elected in 2001. Re-elected in 2003. Re-elected in 2005. Lost renomination and lost re-election as an Independent. |
| Jumaane Williams (Canarsie) | Democratic | January 1, 2010 – March 19, 2019 | Elected in 2009. Re-elected in 2013. Re-elected in 2017. Resigned when elected as New York City Public Advocate. |
| Vacant | Vacant | March 19, 2019 – June 13, 2019 |
| Farah Louis (Flatlands) | Democratic | June 13, 2019 – | Elected to finish Williams's term. Re-elected in 2021. Re-elected in 2023. |

## Recent election results
### 2023 (redistricting)

Due to redistricting and the 2020 changes to the New York City Charter, councilmembers elected during the 2021 and 2023 City Council elections will serve two-year terms, with full four-year terms resuming after the 2025 New York City Council elections.
2023 New York City Council election, District 45 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Farah Louis (incumbent) | 8,750 | 96.7 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 298 | 3.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,048 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2021

In 2019, voters in New York City approved Ballot Question 1, which implemented ranked-choice voting in all local elections. Under the new system, voters have the option to rank up to five candidates for every local office. Voters whose first-choice candidates fare poorly will have their votes redistributed to other candidates in their ranking until one candidate surpasses the 50 percent threshold. If one candidate surpasses 50 percent in first-choice votes, then ranked-choice tabulations will not occur.
2021 New York City Council election, District 45 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Farah Louis (incumbent) | 14,544 | 75.4 |
| | Democratic | Anthony Beckford | 3,819 | 19.8 |
| | Democratic | Cyril Joseph | 818 | 4.2 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 116 | 0.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 19,297 | 100 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Farah Louis (incumbent) | 19,206 | 93.5 |
| | Our Flatbush | Lou Cespedes | 1,158 | 5.6 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 165 | 0.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 20,529 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2019 special

In 2019, Councilman Jumaane Williams was elected New York City Public Advocate, leaving his seat vacant. Two special elections were scheduled to fill his seat: one nonpartisan election in May, followed by a standard partisan primary and general election that June and September. Both were won by Farah Louis.
2019 New York City Council special election, District 45 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Farah Louis (incumbent) | 4,690 | 49.9 |
| | Democratic | Monique Chandler-Waterman | 4,039 | 43.0 |
| | Democratic | L. Rickie Tulloch | 175 | 1.9 |
| | Democratic | Xamayla Rose | 163 | 1.7 |
| | Democratic | Jovia Radix | 132 | 1.4 |
| | Democratic | Adina Sash | 95 | 1.0 |
| | Democratic | Victor Jordan | 53 | 0.6 |
| | Democratic | Anthony Alexis | 46 | 0.5 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 10 | 0.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,403 | 100 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Farah Louis (incumbent) | 14,068 | 92.7 |
| | Liberal | Anthony Beckford | 720 | 4.7 |
| | Libertarian | David Fite | 330 | 2.2 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 55 | 0.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 15,173 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
2019 New York City Council special election, District 45 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | A Unified 45 | Farah Louis | 3,949 | 40.6 |
| | A Vital Voice | Monique Chandler-Waterman | 2,848 | 29.3 |
| | Justice for All | Jovia Radix | 871 | 9.0 |
| | Community First | Adina Sash | 696 | 7.2 |
| | Peoples Movement | L. Rickie Tulloch | 638 | 6.6 |
| | Rose for Progress | Xamayla Rose | 545 | 5.6 |
| | Unite to Uplift | Anthony Alexis | 119 | 1.2 |
| | Last Chance | Victor Jordan | 46 | 0.5 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 16 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,728 | 100 |

### 2017

2017 New York City Council election, District 45 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jumaane Williams (incumbent) | 9,008 | 90.0 |
| | Democratic | Lou Cespedes | 948 | 9.5 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 51 | 0.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,007 | 100 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Jumaane Williams | 19,963 | |
| | Working Families | Jumaane Williams | 1,116 | |
| | Total | Jumaane Williams (incumbent) | 21,079 | 96.5 |
| | True Freedom | Anthony Beckford | 644 | 2.9 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 111 | 0.6 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 21,834 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2013

2013 New York City Council election, District 45 :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jumaane Williams (incumbent) | 10,332 | 76.5 |
| | Democratic | Jean Similien | 1,674 | 12.4 |
| | Democratic | Godwin Williams | 1,498 | 11.1 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 2 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 13,506 | 100 |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Jumaane Williams | 20,427 | |
| | Working Families | Jumaane Williams | 927 | |
| | Total | Jumaane Williams (incumbent) | 21,354 | 96.3 |
| | Rent Is Too Damn High | Erlene King | 702 | 3.2 |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 123 | 0.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 22,179 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |