[3] Notable former representatives include Council Speakers Corey Johnson and Christine Quinn.

District 3 covers the Lower Manhattan neighborhoods of Chelsea, the West Village, Hell's Kitchen, Hudson Square, the Garment District, Flatiron, and parts of Greenwich Village, and Times Square.

[5] Chelsea and West Village, two of the district's main population centers, are both known as preeminent hubs for gay culture.

The Stonewall Inn, considered to be the birthplace of gay rights in the United States, is located within the district.

[6] In 2019, voters in New York City approved Ballot Question 1, which implemented ranked-choice voting in all local elections.