Dan Quart Runs for Manhattan District Attorney on Criminal-Justice Record

Dan Quart, an MP for East Manhattan, says his decade in public office prepared him to become the county’s next district attorney, a job he says will steer criminal justice policy in a progressive direction can.

“This is where I can make a difference, especially right now,” said Mr. Quart, one of eight Democrats who ran for Tuesday’s district attorney for Manhattan.

For the last few weeks of the race, Mr. Quart has fought door-to-door while juggling committee and constitutional work and wrapping up a legislature.

In a heavily Democratic district, the area code is seen as a crucial choice in the four-year job incumbent Cyrus Vance Jr. is leaving after three terms.

Mr. Quart, 49 years old, has worked to reduce the number of prisoners, including ending the prosecution of crimes closely related to poverty, such as trespassing and commercial break-ins. He said he would rebuild the sex crimes unit and stop using conspiracy laws on certain gang prosecutions that he believed were targeting unfair people of color. He also plans to cut the budget for the Manhattan office.