Personality
City Council newbies opt to swear in together
Six incoming members will take the oath on Friday.
From left: New members Shanel Thomas Henry, Shirley Aldebol, Harvey Epstein, Elsie Encarnación, Ty Hankerson, Kayla Santosuosso and Virginia Maloney Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit
Nine new lawmakers are joining the City Council next session, and they’re getting off to a collegial start with a group swearing in on Friday afternoon.
Six of the new members will be sworn in at 4 p.m. at City Hall, including Council Member Harvey Epstein (who was already sworn in once earlier this month), Shanel Thomas Henry, Virginia Maloney, Elsie Encarnación, Justin Sanchez, Kayla Santosuosso and Ty Hankerson. Republican Council Member Frank Morano, who joined the council in May, was sworn in again on Thursday, as was incoming Council Member Phil Wong. Shirley Aldebol, the incoming council member who ousted Kristy Marmorato in the Bronx, plans to attend Friday to support her soon to be colleagues, but is waiting till Monday to get sworn in so her son can attend.
Incoming council members can arrange their own swearing in ceremonies, but a group of them decided to schedule theirs together so they can cheer each other on, Santosuosso said. The incoming group of nine – more than double the size of the 2023 incoming class, but much smaller than the 2021 incoming class – has grown pretty tight over the past couple months, she said.
Meanwhile on the other side of City Hall, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will have to wait till the actual start of 2026 for his swearing in. That’s slated to take place at midnight on New Years Eve followed by a longer event during the day on Jan. 1.