New York City's 47th City Council district is one of 51 districts in the New York City Council. It has been represented by Democrat Justin Brannan since 2024; following redistricting, Brannan defeated then-incumbent Ari Kagan.[3]
District 47 covers two areas in southern Brooklyn, linked by a handful of city blocks. The district covers Bay Ridge, Coney Island, Sea Gate and Gravesend, with portions of Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights. Most of Coney Island's attractions, such as the Wonder Wheel, the New York Aquarium, and the Riegelmann Boardwalk, are located within the district, as is Calvert Vaux Park.
The district overlaps with Brooklyn Community Boards 10, 11, 13, and 15, and with New York's 8th, 10th, and 11th congressional districts. It also overlaps with the 17th, 23rd, and 26th districts of the New York State Senate, and with the 45th, 46th, 47th, 49th, 51st and 64th districts of the New York State Assembly.[4]
District 47 is based around Coney Island and other parts of Brooklyn's southern shoreline, including Gravesend, Sea Gate, eastern Bensonhurst, and a small section of Bath Beach.[5] Most of Coney Island's attractions, such as the Wonder Wheel, the New York Aquarium, and the Riegelmann Boardwalk, are located within the district.
The district overlaps with Brooklyn Community Boards 11, 13, and 15, and with New York's 8th, 10th, and 11th congressional districts. It also overlaps with the 17th, 22nd, and 23rd districts of the New York State Senate, and with the 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, and 49th districts of the New York State Assembly.[6]
During the 2021-23 term, Ari Kagan defected to the Republican Party.[7] In addition, due to redistricting and the 2020 changes to the New York City Charter, councilmembers elected during the 2021 and 2023 City Council elections will serve two-year terms, with full four-year terms resuming after the 2025 New York City Council elections.[8]
In 2019, voters in New York City approved Ballot Question 1, which implemented ranked-choice voting in all local elections. Under the new system, voters have the option to rank up to five candidates for every local office. Voters whose first-choice candidates fare poorly will have their votes redistributed to other candidates in their ranking until one candidate surpasses the 50 percent threshold. If one candidate surpasses 50 percent in first-choice votes, then ranked-choice tabulations will not occur.[13]