SafekipediaDonovan Richards
Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience
Donovan J. Richards Jr. (born April 9, 1983) is an American politician. He is the Borough President of Queens.
Before this role, he was a member of the New York City Council, representing the 31st district. He belongs to the Democratic Party and has worked in local government for many years.
His former district covered many neighborhoods in Queens. These include Arverne, Bayswater, Broad Channel, Cambria Heights, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Howard Beach, Jamaica, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Laurelton, Rockaway Beach, Rosedale, South Ozone Park, and Springfield Gardens.
In the November 3, 2020 election, Richards was the Democratic nominee for Queens Borough President. He won against the Republican nominee Joann Ariola and an independent candidate named Dao Yin. Richards began his term as Queens Borough President on December 2, 2020. His work aims to improve services and support communities throughout Queens.
Life and career
Donovan Richards was born and grew up in southeast Queens. When he was young, he took part in a mission in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, working with St. Albans Congregational Church.
He went to school at Redemption Christian Academy in Troy, New York and later graduated from Jamaica High School in Queens. He then studied at Nyack College and Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Queens.
New York City Council
Donovan Richards became the chief of staff for New York City Councilman James Sanders, Jr. in June 2011. When Sanders moved to the New York State Senate, Richards won a special election in 2013 to take his place. He was later appointed chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection and also chaired the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises.
| Election history | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Year | Election | Results |
| NYC Council District 31 | 2013 | Special | √ Donovan Richards 29.11% Pesach Osina 28.24% Jacques Leandre 13.38% Michael R. Duncan 11.18% Selvena Brooks 11.14% Marie Adam-Ovide 2.08% Saywala Kesselly 1.87% |
| NYC Council District 31 | 2013 | Democratic Primary | √ Donovan Richards 51.60% Michael R. Duncan 35.83% Ricardo A. Brown 12.57% |
| NYC Council District 31 | 2013 | General | √ Donovan Richards (D) 91.77% Scherie S. Murray (R) 5.45% Ricardo A. Brown (Jobs & Education) 2.68% |
Queens Borough President bids
In June 2020, Donovan Richards won the Democratic nomination to become the Borough President of Queens. He then won a special election on November 3, 2020, to officially take on this role. Richards was reelected in the 2021 New York City borough president elections and again in the 2025 New York City borough president elections.
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Donovan Richards, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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