At 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4th, Dr. Dorcey Lanier Applyrs, the first Black Mayor of New York’s capital city and sixth-largest city, Albany, was formed, took the stage at Greenhouse Social Club in La Serre. She is only the fifth person to hold the position since 1942.
As Jay-Z’s “Run This Town” blasted through the speakers, Applyrs, accompanied by her family, fellow elected officials, and supporters, pledged to be a leader who would represent all of Albany.
“This is our moment,” she said. “We earned this moment, and it is an amazing moment.”
After dancing and celebrating with supporters at a watch party, which also served as the grand re-opening of long-time Albany restaurant La Serre, Applyrs dug in just 12 hours later, Wednesday morning. She introduced the city to her transition team, who will assist the mayor-elect in organizing and recruiting an administration to be tasked with turning around a troubled Capital City.
“We are meeting today to level set and hit the ground running,” she said of the panel, which is comprised of a talent team in charge of that recruitment, and an Activate Albany Committee, which is designed to recalibrate how the city approaches key issues and who is involved in making those decisions.
During her Election Night victory speech at her watch party, Applyrs said it is her turn to carry the torch left by her predecessors.
“Now it’s my turn — it’s my turn to do the same, to make sure every young person in this city knows that they belong, that they have a seat at the table, and that they can build a future right here in our city. You don’t have to go anywhere,” Applyrs said.
The 43-year-old claimed a landslide victory Tuesday, garnering 83 percent — more than 12,000 votes — in Albany’s mayoral election. Her Republican opponent, entrepreneur Rocco Pezzulo, received 13 percent of the vote.
Applyrs is no stranger to Albany politics. She has served as the city’s chief auditor since 2020 and previously served two terms on the Common Council. Her rise to Albany’s top office is the result of years spent building trust, advocating for equity, and holding power accountable. Before her mayoral run, Applyrs served as Albany’s Chief City Auditor, per Dorcey for Mayor, earning respect for her transparency, fiscal discipline, and commitment to fairness in city government. Her background in public health and time on the Albany Common Council give her a people-first perspective — one rooted in community, service, and the belief that progress starts with inclusion, The Root reported.
Albany becomes the third of New York state’s five largest cities to elect a Black mayor. Of that group, only Yonkers, the state’s third-largest city, has never elected a person of color into the seat. The fifth-largest city, Syracuse, also elected its first Black mayor, Sharon Owens, on Tuesday, November 4th.
On the campaign trail, Applyrs spoke about improving public safety, curbing violence, and “making Albany fun again.” Come January, the clock will begin ticking on her first 100 days in office.
Dr. Applyrs said she is ready to begin transforming the city on day one, “And I really meant it when I said, ‘today is about governing.’ We have convened members of my transition team here today — we are already hitting the ground running,” Applyrs said.
Dr. Applyrs, a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., will be the city’s new mayor, for the first time in over 10 years, replacing Kathy Sheehan, who is stepping down after she finishes her third term, coming at the end of December.
Dr. Applyrs was on the Albany Common Council representing the City’s First Ward starting in 2013 for her first term and began her second term in 2017. She served as the Chief City Auditor from January 2020 during her second term. The transition between Sheehan and Applyrs as the city’s mayor has already begun, she said, with the inauguration set to take place Jan. 1, 2026, and their co-chairs even meeting today to go over matters and begin the transition process.
“The mayor’s seat does not really belong to the mayor or anyone. It belongs to the people and constituents who voted for the mayor in the election,” the mayor-elect said. “The person the public chose to show them we can and we will.”
After winning the general election in a landslide, Applyrs presents as poised, collected, and ready to step into her new position with grace, along with years of hard work. She has officially made history by being the first Black woman elected as the mayor of Albany, along with being the fifth person to ever be elected the Albany mayor.
“I am excited for all that we do and are continuing to do for the city of Albany,” she said.
