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Shekar Krishnan

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shekar Krishnan
Krishnan in 2026
Member of the New York City Council
from the 25th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2022
Preceded byDaniel Dromm
Personal details
Born (1985-06-05) June 5, 1985 (age 41)
PartyDemocratic
EducationCooper Union (BS)
University of Michigan (JD)
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Shekar Krishnan (born June 5, 1985)[1] is an American attorney and politician who is a member of the New York City Council for the 25th district, which covers the northwestern Queens neighborhoods of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, parts of East Elmhurst, and a small piece of Woodside.[2]

Early life

[edit]

Krishnan was born to immigrant parents from Kerala, India.[3]

He received a Bachelor of Sciences in engineering from The Cooper Union and a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.[4]

Career

[edit]

Krishnan worked as an associate for law firms Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.[5] He was also an attorney at Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, directing the organization’s fair housing and tenant advocacy divisions.[4] He is the co-founder of Communities Resist, a legal services organization that represents tenants and neighborhood coalitions in fair housing litigation and anti-displacement advocacy in gentrified neighborhoods.[6][7]

2021 City Council campaign

[edit]
Krishnan speaks at a Channukah event in December 2025.

Krishnan announced his candidacy in the 2021 Democratic primary for the 25th District of the New York City Council on November 17, 2020.[6][8] Incumbent Councilmember Daniel Dromm was term-limited and could not run for reelection. He was endorsed by Dromm, U.S. Representative Nydia Velázquez, and State Senators Julia Salazar and John Liu.[9] He centered his campaign on immigrant rights, the taxi medallion crisis, affordable housing, and climate justice.[10]

Krishnan won the ranked-choice primary with 53.4% of all votes cast.[11] He won the general election with 60% of the vote.[12] Along with Shahana Hanif, Krishnan is one of the first South Asians to serve in the New York City Council.[13][10] Days after being elected, Krishnan was arrested along with Hanif and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani for protesting alongside taxi drivers.[14]

On City Council

[edit]

In his first (2021-2025) term, Krishnan chaired the Parks committee, and advocated increasing the city's parks budget.[15][16]

In October 2022, protesters criticizing Krishnan's support of local Drag Story Hour programs vandalized his district office with graffiti. Anti-Drag Story Hour protesters then protested at his home in January 2023, writing on the nearby sidewalk and shouting "groomer" accusations at Krishnan while his children and wife were inside.[17][18][19][20]

In October 2024, Krishnan, with other members of the Council's Progressive Caucus, signed a letter urging Mayor Adams and the future police commissioner to "ensure that the recent leadership transitions and on-going corruption investigations do not impede accountability for the 2019 NYPD killing of Allan Feliz".[21][22]

Krishnan introduced a bill to decriminalize street vending without a license.[23] The City Council overrode a mayoral veto to approve the bill in September 2025.[24]

Krishnan endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 New York City mayoral election.[25] He was then a leading supporter of Julie Menin's successful bid to become Speaker of the City Council for the 2026-2029 legislative session.[26][27] Menin appointed Krishnan to chair the Investigations and Oversight committee, widely considered a powerful and prominent post.[26][28]

In early 2026, Krishnan voted for a bill regulating protest near religious institutions,[29] but against a related bill (Intro 175-B) that would create a "buffer zone" limiting protest near educational institutions.[30] The City Council passed 175-B, but Mayor Mamdani vetoed it.[31]

Electoral history

[edit]

2025

[edit]
2025 New York City Council Democratic primary, District 25[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shekar Krishnan (incumbent) 9,965 67.2
Democratic Ricardo J. Pacheco 4,758 32.1
Write-in 108 0.7
Total votes 14,831 100.0
2025 New York City Council election, District 25[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shekar Krishnan 18,896 59.2
Working Families Shekar Krishnan 3,371 10.6
Total Shekar Krishnan (incumbent) 22,267 69.8
Republican Ramses S. Frias 5,861 18.4
Conservative Ramses S. Frias 557 1.7
Total Ramses S. Frias 6,418 20.1
Safe&Affordable/Stop the Casino Ricardo J. Pacheco 1,927 6.0
Asians United Shah Shahidul Haque 1,199 3.8
Write-in 100 0.3
Total votes 31,911 100.0
Democratic hold

2023

[edit]
2023 New York City Council Democratic primary, District 25[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shekar Krishnan (incumbent) 3,409 61.8
Democratic Ricardo J. Pacheco 1,321 23.9
Democratic Fatima Baryab 755 13.7
Write-in 31 0.6
Total votes 5,516 100.0
2023 New York City Council election, District 25[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shekar Krishnan 4,981 54.9
Working Families Shekar Krishnan 906 10.0
Total Shekar Krishnan (incumbent) 5,887 64.8
Republican Zhile Cao 1,829 20.1
Medical Freedom Zhile Cao 95 1.0
Total Zhile Cao 1,924 21.2
Diversity Fatima Baryab 1,037 11.4
Write-in 230 2.5
Total votes 9,078 100.0
Democratic hold

2021

[edit]
2021 New York City Council Democratic primary, District 25[36]
Party Candidate Maximum
round		 Maximum
votes		 Share in
maximum
round		 Maximum votes
  First round votes   Transfer votes
Democratic Shekar Krishnan 7 6,352 53.4%
​​
Democratic Yi Andy Chen 7 5,549 46.6%
​​
Democratic Carolyn Tran 6 3,045 23.6%
​​
Democratic Alfonso Quiroz 5 1,986 14.5%
​​
Democratic Fatima Baryab 4 1,687 11.8%
​​
Democratic Liliana C. Melo 3 1,041 7.1%
​​
Democratic Manuel F. Perez 2 513 3.4%
​​
Democratic William H. Salgado 2 282 1.9%
​​
Write-In 1 35 0.2%
​​
2021 New York City Council election, District 25[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shekar Krishnan 9,466 61.1
Republican Shah Shahidul Haque 2,987 19.3
Diversity Fatima Baryab 2,555 16.5
Libertarian Suraj Jaswal 415 2.7
Write-in 62 0.4
Total votes 15,485 100.0
Democratic hold

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ @voteshekaar (June 3, 2021). "Come for the cupcakes, stay for the canvass! Come through this Saturday!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ↑ "Council Members & Districts". New York City Council. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  3. ↑ Prakash, Priyali (October 29, 2021). "Meet lawyer Shekar Krishnan, who hopes to be among the first South Asians on the NYC council". Scroll.in. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Barsamian, Nicollette (February 22, 2017). "Local Express: Shekar Krishnan". Queens Gazette. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  5. ↑ "New Staff at Brooklyn A: Help us welcome these great new additions to our team!" (PDF). Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A. 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Parry, Bill (November 20, 2020). "Shekar Krishnan announces candidacy for western Queens City Council seat". QNS.com. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  7. ↑ Ponce de Léon, Gabe (July 29, 2021). "Meet the nonprofit candidates likely to join New York's City Council". NYNMedia. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  8. ↑ Dorgan, Michael (December 2, 2020). "PODCAST: We Talk To Shekar Krishnan, Candidate For the 25th Council District". Jackson Heights Post. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  9. ↑ Griffin, Allie (June 8, 2021). "Council Member Daniel Dromm Endorses Shekar Krishnan for District 25 Seat". Jackson Heights Post. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Wang, Claire (November 3, 2021). "NYC Council has 5 new Asian Americans, a record that mirrors city more accurately". NBC News. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  11. ↑ Songalia, Ryan; Murray, Christian (June 22, 2021). "Shekar Krishnan Likely to Win Primary for Jackson Heights/Elmhurst Council Seat". Sunnyside Post. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  12. ↑ Donlevy, Katherine (November 4, 2021). "Say hello to your new city leaders". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  13. ↑ Kumar, Arun (November 3, 2021). "Shekar Krishnan, Shahana Hanif make history winning New York City council races". American Bazaar. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  14. ↑ Venugopal, Verun (November 6, 2021). "Wins For NYC Council Seats & Taxi Debt Relief Deal Showcase Political Might Of South Asians". Gothamist. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  15. ↑ McDonough, Annie (January 20, 2022). "New York City Council doles out committee assignments". City & State NY. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  16. ↑ Bernhardt, Celia (September 24, 2025). "Will the next mayor finally allocate 1% of the NYC budget for parks?". City & State NY. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Indian-American councillor faces heat from anti-drag protesters". India Tribune. via IANS (India-America News Service). January 21, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  18. ↑ Stark-Miller, Ethan (February 3, 2023). "Council members look to increase funding for Drag Story Hour, refuse to cower to far-right protesters | amNewYork". www.amny.com. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  19. ↑ Heyward, Giulia (September 24, 2023). "Lawmakers to consider legislation after Brooklyn 'Drag Story Hour' bomb threat". Gothamist. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  20. ↑ Weill, Kelly (June 25, 2023). "These Umbrella-Twirling Drag Defenders Are Protecting Libraries from Bigots". Daily Beast. 2829319693. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  21. ↑ Anuta, Joe; Reisman, Nick; Ngo, Emily; Coltin, Jeff (October 29, 2024). "DCAS under fire". POLITICO. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  22. ↑ "October 29, 2024 – Letter to the Mayor and Commissioner of the NYPD regarding accountability for the Feliz family". October 29, 2024. Archived from the original on November 2, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  23. ↑ Chu, Haidee (July 31, 2025). "Adams Vetoes Bill to Decriminalize Street Vending". THE CITY - NYC News. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  24. ↑ Aponte, Haidee Chu, Claudia Irizarry (September 10, 2025). "Council Overrides Mayoral Veto of Street Vendor and Delivery Worker Protection Bills". THE CITY - NYC News. Retrieved November 19, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ↑ City, Bernadette Hogan New York. "Mamdani nets two more City Council endorsements". ny1.com. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  26. 1 2 Sommerfeldt, Chris; Bamberger, Cayla (January 15, 2026). "Menin to tap key allies — and her main speaker's race opponent — for top NYC Council posts". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Julie Menin elected council speaker, pledges to be 'proactive' in powerful post". Crain's New York Business. January 7, 2026. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  28. ↑ Donaldson, Sahalie (March 5, 2026). "NYC Council Oversight Committee to review compliance with sanctuary city laws". City & State NY. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  29. ↑ "The New York City Council - File #: Int 0001-2026". legistar.council.nyc.gov. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  30. ↑ "The New York City Council - File #: Int 0175-2026". legistar.council.nyc.gov. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  31. ↑ Sommerfeldt, Chris; Reisman, Nick; Fernandez, Madison; Beeferman (April 30, 2026). "To override or not to override, that's the question for Julie Menin". POLITICO. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  32. ↑ "DEM Council Member 25th Council District". Vote NYC. New York City Board of Elections. July 22, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  33. ↑ "00401100025Queens Member of the City Council 25th Council District Recap.pdf" (PDF). Vote NYC. New York City Board of Elections. December 2, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  34. ↑ "DEM Council Member 25th Council District". Vote NYC. New York City Board of Elections. July 18, 2023. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  35. ↑ "00401600025Queens Member of the City Council 25th Council District Recap.pdf" (PDF). Vote NYC. New York City Board of Elections. December 5, 2023. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  36. ↑ "DEM Council Member 25th Council District". Vote NYC. New York City Board of Elections. July 20, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  37. ↑ "00400700025Queens Member of the City Council 25th Council District Recap.pdf" (PDF). Vote NYC. New York City Board of Elections. November 30, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
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