Paperboy Love Prince has been a candidate for multiple offices. As a
perennial candidate, they started in politics by hosting concerts which provided
voter registration for attendees. Prince hosts a community center called the Love Gallery on
Myrtle Avenue in
Bushwick, Brooklyn. A volunteer-run mutual aid food network is operated here. In Prince's campaign, their
political platform included advocacy for
universal basic income,
Medicare for all, and spreading love. In preparation for the election, Prince overcame a challenge to their bid to appear on the ballot.
2021 New York City mayoral campaign In December 2020, Prince registered as a candidate for
Mayor of New York City in the
2021 Democratic primary. If elected, Prince would have been the youngest mayor in the history of New York City. Prince's campaign manager was a 13-year-old student Theodore Demel, who believes that homework is unconstitutional. The campaign hosted weekly food distribution events, giving away food donated by churches to whoever happened to show up. One of the criteria for joining the city's mayoral debates was fundraising a minimal amount of money. Prince was among the candidates who met the criteria to appear on the ballot, but did not meet the criteria to join the debates. Prince's performance outside the debate included singing about affordable housing. A writer for
Harvard Political Review said that Prince's campaign could shift discussion about what sorts of political policies are acceptable to discuss and also shift the perception of the electability of non-white candidates. A writer for
The Red Hook Star-Revue said that Prince was a candidate to take seriously. That paper also endorsed Prince for mayor.
Trevor Noah of
The Daily Show showcased Prince's idea that police should reward people for doing good as an alternative to spotting violations.
The City surveyed Prince on their political positions and published their responses. Prince received 0.4% of the vote and was not elected.
2022 campaigns Following the 2021 election, Prince announced intent to seek candidacy in the 2022 elections for 11 congressional districts and the New York governorship. They again got on the ballot for congress in NY District 7.
2023 New York 34th City Council District campaign In 2023, Prince ran for the
New York City's 34th City Council district and was endorsed by
Chris Smalls and many other community leaders and artists.
2024 presidential campaign Prince was a candidate for the
2024 Democratic nomination for president, only appearing on the ballot in
New Hampshire. They were not Constitutionally eligible to run in 2024 because they would not have reached the age of 35 by January 20, 2025, when the presidential term would have started.
2025 New York City mayoral campaign Paperboy Prince joined the campaign for mayor following their previous 2021 campaign for mayor. They continued to advocate for health care, abolishing the police, and universal basic income for New Yorkers. Prince crashed the event wearing clown makeup and denounced the process which left them out. ==Music==