Voters in the 40th District have elected Dr. Mathieu Eugene to the City Council seat previously held by Yvette Clarke. The Haitian community rallied around Eugene, making him the first Haitian-American elected to the City Council. The race featured 10 candidates and many speculated the seat would be won by a small amount of votes. Preliminary results, however, showed Eugene with more than twice the number of votes than the runner-up.One supporter of Eugene said the City Council needs someone like him that understands the needs of the people who live in the community. Supporters said they expect Eugene to focus on issues such as education and affordable housing.Mayor Bloomberg (R-NYC) called the crowded field for the seat a case of democracy in action.