1981 New York City Council presidential election

← 1977 November 3, 1981 1985 →

Nominee Carol Bellamy Guy J. Velella Party Democratic Republican Alliance Liberal Conservative Popular vote 848,739 190,475 Percentage 79.6% 17.9%

President of the City Council before election Carol Bellamy Democratic Elected President of the City Council Carol Bellamy Democratic

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v t e

An election was held on November 3, 1981 to elect the President of theNew York City Council. Democratic incumbentCarol Bellamy was re-elected to a second term in office over RepublicanAssemblymanGuy J. Velella.

• Carol Bellamy, incumbent Council President since 1978

Bellamy was unopposed in the September primary, and her name did not appear on the ballot.^[1] Manhattan Borough PresidentAndrew Stein and his primary opponentDavid Dinkins both sought to tie themselves to the popular Bellamy.^[2]

• Carol Bellamy, incumbent Council President since 1978 (Democratic and Liberal)
• Margaret T. Chiffriller, cook and housekeeper at Queen of Peace Roman Catholic Church inKew Gardens Hills^[2] (Right to Life)
• Guy Velella,Assemblyman fromthe Bronx (Republican and Conservative)

Bellamy, who won the presidency in an upset in the 1977 election, was broadly popular in 1981. Before even announcing her re-election bid, she stated, "I make no bones about wanting to run for Governor someday," and was critical of GovernorHugh Carey.^[1]The New York Times framed her campaign as a springboard to future statewide office. Villela conceded that his campaign was "a long shot", but claimed that Bellamy should be doing more to utilize theombudsman responsibilities of the presidency.^[2]

Margaret T. Chiffriller, running on the Right to Life ticket, ran a single-issue advocacy campaign focused on opposition to abortion.^[2]

• 1981 in New York City
• 1981 New York (state) elections
• 1981 United States local elections
• November 1981 in the United States