They threw the bums out last night.
Five incumbent Democratic City Council members were defeated — a shockingly high number in a legislative body where re-election is basically a given.
The lawmakers were done in by the ongoing slush-fund probe and the move to extend term limits for sitting officials, observers said.
While five of the 29 incumbents facing primary challengers lost their seats, three others got the scare of their lives, winning by paper-thin margins.
“It’s extremely unusual that so many incumbents lost,” said veteran city political consultant George Arzt.
One of the biggest losses was that of two-term Councilman Kendall Stewart (D-Brooklyn), who was routed by newcomer Jumaane Williams, a tenant activist.
Even though Stewart had a crowded field of five challengers, which usually helps the incumbent by dividing the opposition, Williams beat him in a landslide, 37-25 percent.
Stewart, who voted to extend term limits, was also badly hurt by his staff’s role in the slush-fund scandal: two of his aides were indicted for allegedly embezzling nearly $200,000 in taxpayer money last year.
Other incumbents who won’t be coming back are Helen Sears of Queens, Maria Baez of The Bronx and Kenny Mitchell of Staten Island.
The left-leaning Working Families Party worked on the campaigns of three winning challengers: Williams, Danny Dromm, who toppled Sears, and Deborah Rose, who bested Mitchell.
Council members Diana Reyna and Darlene Mealy of Brooklyn won by thin margins and Thomas White of Queens eked out a victory by a mere six votes.