2001 New York City Comptroller election
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November 6, 2001
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The 2001 New York City Comptroller election took place on November 6, 2001, to elect the Comptroller of New York City. The election was held concurrently with the races for Mayor and Public Advocate.
The incumbent Comptroller, Alan Hevesi, was term-limited and could not seek re-election, instead choosing to run for Mayor. The election resulted in the victory of William C. Thompson Jr., the former President of the New York City Board of Education, who became the first African American to hold the office.
The 2001 election cycle was the first to be impacted by the city's new term limit laws, which forced a massive turnover in city government. Along with the Comptroller, the Mayor, Public Advocate, and dozens of City Council members were barred from seeking re-election.[1]
The primary election was originally scheduled for September 11, 2001. Due to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center that morning, the primary was suspended and rescheduled for September 25.[1]
Democratic Primary
The Democratic primary was the most competitive phase of the race. William C. Thompson Jr. faced Herbert Berman, a veteran City Councilman and chairman of the council's Finance Committee.
Candidates
- Bill Thompson.: President of the Board of Education and a former investment banker.
- Herbert Berman: Member of the New York City Council from Brooklyn.
Results
Thompson campaigned on his experience in both the public and private sectors, emphasizing his role in managing the Board of Education's multi-billion dollar budget. He defeated Berman in the rescheduled primary.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| William C. Thompson Jr. | Democratic | 315,683 | 54.9% |
| Herbert Berman | Democratic | 258,958 | 45.1% |