Gale Brewer

Brewer began serving on the New York City Council in 2002. In each re-election vote in 2003, 2005, and 2009, she received over 80% of the votes cast.[2]

Brewer has helped to pass legislation protecting domestic workers, establishing the New York City Broadband Advisory Committee, establishing an electronic death registration system and requiring New York City publications to be made available via the Internet, as well as two bills aimed at eliminating graffiti and unwanted stickers.[2]

Brewer chaired the Select Committee on Technology in Government (now the Committee on Technology) from 2002 to 2009[2] and remains a member of that committee.[4] In June 2004, in conjunction with a graduate student Digital Opportunities Team at CUNY Hunter College departments of Urban Affairs and Planning supervised by Professor Lisa Tolliver,[5] the committee published a study and recommendations titled Expanding Digital Opportunity in New York City Public Schools: Profiles of Innovators and Leaders Who Make a Difference.[6] The report was one of numerous initiatives and events implemented by the Select Committee, which included roundtables, conferences, hearings, and collaborative partnerships.[4][7][8]

Brewer chairs the Committee on Governmental Operations.[2] Other committees on which Council Member Brewer serves include: Aging; Finance; General Welfare, Higher Education; Housing & Buildings; Mental Health; Technology; Transportation; and Waterfronts. In addition, she co-chairs the Manhattan Delegation, sits on the Council's Budget Negotiating Team, and is a member of the Rules Committee Working Group.[2]

Brewer was a member of the New York State Universal Broadband Initiative’s Digital Literacy and Community Outreach Action Team and served as a member of the New York State Attorney General’s Real Estate Working Group/Subcommittee on Enforcement and Mediation, the Foundation Center Library Advisory Committee, and the Information Technology and Communications Committee of the National League of Cities.[2]

Brewer is a member of the Board of Directors of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee; she also sits on Advisory Committees to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and William E. Macaulay Honors College. Gale also sits on the New York Academy of Medicine's Age-Friendly Board.[2]

Brewer was ineligible to run for re-election to the City Council in 2013 because of term limits. In February 2013 Brewer announced she would run for Manhattan Borough President.[9] On September 10, 2013, Brewer won the Democratic primary, taking nearly 40% of the vote in a tight four-way race.[2] Brewer won the general election on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 and assumed office on January 1, 2014.

Brewer was re-elected in 2017. Due to term limits for Borough Presidents, she is ineligible to run for re-election in 2021 to that office.[10] In December 2020, she announced her candidacy for her former City Council seat.[11] In the 2020 Presidential Election, Brewer served as an alternate elector, replacing Christine Quinn.[12][13]

Brewer ran as a Democrat to once again represent the 6th City Council District in the 2021 election, winning against Republican Nancy Sliwa (wife of Curtis Sliwa) with over 86% of the vote.