The state’s redistricting woes have created a rare August primary for New York’s congressional and State Senate seats, raising concerns of low voter turnout.

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By Jeffery C. Mays

For the second time in two months, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to head to the polls and vote in a critical primary election.

Earlier this year, the state’s highest courts ruled that district maps created by Democrats were unconstitutional and ordered them to be redrawn. That necessitated the primaries for Congress and State Senate to be pushed back two months to August from June.

There are several competitive congressional primaries and special elections to watch, but with New York’s already low voter participation rates, there’s concern that a rare August primary, when many New Yorkers are distracted or away, will drive those rates even lower.

Early voting starts on Saturday

The early voting period begins on Saturday, Aug. 13, and continues through Sunday, Aug. 21.

You can also vote on Election Day — Tuesday, Aug. 23 — when polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Finding out where to vote

Most early voting locations will not be the same as the polling place you would go to on Election Day.

You can find both your early voting and Election Day polling place by entering your address at this state Board of Elections website.

Voters who are experiencing difficulty can call the state’s election protection hotline at 866-390-2992.

Here are some of the key primary races to watch

The marquee contest is in the 12th Congressional District in Manhattan, where Representative Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat who represents the Upper West Side, is facing off against Representative Carolyn Maloney, who represents the Upper East Side.

Their districts were redrawn and partially combined, but discussions failed to push one of the two influential committee leaders to run for a different seat. So Mr. Nadler chose to not seek re-election in his 10th District, and entered the primary for Ms. Maloney’s seat.

New York’s 2022 Elections

As prominent Democratic officials seek to defend their records, Republicans see opportunities to make inroads in general election races.

A third candidate in the race, Suraj Patel, has painted himself as the face of a much needed generational shift. At 38, Mr. Patel, a lawyer who helped run his family’s successful motel business, is half the age of his two more established opponents.

Mr. Patel has challenged Ms. Maloney twice before, coming closest to victory in 2020 when he lost by four percentage points. But drawing distinct ideological differences between himself and both Ms. Maloney and Mr. Nadler has been difficult. The pair has countered that their seniority will matter whether Democrats remain in power or not.

The remapping and Mr. Nadler’s and Ms. Maloney’s decision to run in the same district created a rare open seat in the 10th District.

The opportunity has drawn a range of entrants, including Representative Mondaire Jones, who currently represents a district in Rockland County and parts of Westchester; and Elizabeth Holtzman, once the youngest woman elected to the House of Representatives who, at the age of 81, is now vying to become the oldest nonincumbent elected to Congress.

Daniel Goldman, an impeachment investigator in the trial of former president Donald J. Trump, has never held elective office, but has vast personal wealth to draw from and recently gave his campaign $1 million.

But it is two local women of color, Councilwoman Carlina Rivera and Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou, who have recently surged in the race. Both already represent parts of the district in their current elected positions.

Ms. Rivera has shifted more to the center, gaining support from the real estate industry, unions and left-leaning members of Brooklyn’s Democratic Party. She has called herself a pragmatic progressive. Ms. Niou has taken the left lane with the support of the Working Families Party.

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