Brooklyn City Councilman Bill de Blasio is heavily favored to win the election to be New York City's ombudsman.

The public advocate acts as a watchdog of City Hall, and takes over as mayor if he cannot serve.

The Democrat faces lesser-known Republican Alex Zablocki. He's an entrepreneur and aide to a state senator from Staten Island.

De Blasio has served as a councilman since 2002.

Before that he worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and was campaign manager for Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 U.S. Senate run.