Seabrook takes Democratic Primary with 55% of vote

12th Council District incumbent Larry Seabrook issued a press release thanking his supporters on Thursday, September 17, two days after the Democratic primary. Seabrook singled out former Mayor David Dinkins, the New York Amsterdam News and a bloc of labor unions, including DC37 and the United Federation of Teachers.

“[The union endorsements] and my strong record of achievement produced the perfect political storm that overwhelmed my opposition and gave me a landslide victory,” Seabrook said.

Unofficial tallies released by the Board of Elections on Wednesday, September 16 had 4,871 votes (55 percent) to the incumbent, 2,830 votes (32 percent) to Andy King, 778 votes (9 percent) to Jerome Rice and 333 (4 percent) to Sebastian Ulanga.

Seabrook recently announced that he and former 12th Council District candidate Johnnie Goff would co-launch the Northeast Bronx Education Commission.

“Over the next several weeks I will present public policy initiatives that will plant seeds for change in education and help parents in their battle to be heard by the Department of Education,” Seabrook said.

Former 12th Council District candidate Algernon Quattlebaum, who runs Co-op City’s Harriet Tubman Democratic Club, bemoaned poor voter turnout on Primary Day.

“Disgusting,” Quattlebaum said. “The voter turnout was absolutely disgusting. People don’t have the right to complain about anything in the community. People need to vote.”

Quattlebaum expected Seabrook to win but thought that King would garner more votes.

“I was surprised,” he said. “I was shocked at how much [Seabrook] won by.”

Quattlebaum, who worked the polls, was heartened to see Co-op City young people participate. One young woman, an 18-year old, missed the presidential election in 2008.

“She was so excited to vote,” Quattlebaum said.