[3] District 17 covers a series of neighborhoods at the heart of the South Bronx, including some or all of Crotona Park East, Melrose, Hunts Point, Concourse, East Tremont, Morrisania, Longwood, Port Morris, and West Farms.

[4] Crotona Park, North and South Brother Islands, and The Hub are all 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.

[8] In late 2015, Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo announced she would resign, triggering an election for her seat.

Like all municipal special elections in New York City, the race is officially nonpartisan, with all candidates running on ballot lines of their own creation.