Candidate Forum for Halloran's Seat to Be Held on Aug. 14

The MinKwon Center for Community Action will host a candidate forum on Aug. 14 for the race for Dan Halloran’s City Council seat.

Candidates in the race for the 19th City Council District race include former Halloran chief of staff Chrissy Voskerichian, Flushing attorney Paul Vallone, long-time community activist Paul Graziano, Douglaston attorney Dennis Saffran, former state Assemblyman John Duane and Austin Shafran, formerly of Empire State Development.

Grace Shim, executive director of the MinKwon Center, said all of the candidates have confirmed their attendance at the forum.

“This is an important district for Queens,” she said. “The upcoming elections will be a chance for the communities and neighborhoods of the 19th District to elect someone that can truly be a voice for the people and their interests at City Hall.”

Halloran announced earlier this year that he would not run for reelection after being arrested in an alleged scheme to rig the mayoral election by getting state Sen. Malcolm Smith, a Democrat, on the Republican ballot.

“Voters have a real choice to make,” said James Hong, MinKwon’s civic participation coordinator. “History has shown that both major parties have a chance to win this seat and there continues to be a strong diversity of interests and people in the district.”

The candidate forum will begin at 7 p.m. at Flushing’s Temple Beth Sholom, located at 171-39 Northern Blvd. For more information on the event, call 718-460-5600.

The 19th Council district covers Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, College Point, Flushing, Auburndale and Whitestone.