Previewing the April 24 Special Elections
April 20th, 2018
Eleven vacant state legislative seats throughout the state will be filled at April 24 special elections. The winners of these races will have to run again in November,
The Senate Democrats are hoping to win two special elections to replace Democrats who were elected to other offices. With the Senate’s Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) members rejoining the mainline Democratic Conference, this would give them 31 seats in the Senate for the remainder of the 2018 legislative session.
Senate District 37 – Westchester
This seat was vacated by Democrat George Latimer after he won the Westchester County Executive contest in November. Democratic Assemblymember Shelley Mayer will face off against Republican Julie Killian for the vacant the 37th Senate District seat in Westchester, which includes New Rochelle, Rye, White Plains, Yonkers and the towns of Bedford, Harrison, Mamaroneck, North Castle, Rye and Eastchester.
While Democrats have a significant enrollment advantage in Westchester, the district has become a battleground in recent years. This race is expected to be a competitive, high profile and expensive one.
Unshackle Upstate has endorsed Julie Killian in the race, because she’s a proven leader who work to provide relief to taxpayers and economic opportunity. If we want to grow the state economy by creating good private sector jobs, we need voices like Julie Killian’s in Albany.
Senate District 32 – Bronx
Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda has been nominated as the Democratic candidate to fill the vacant 32nd Senate District in the Bronx, which was most recently represented by Democrat Ruben Diaz. Hunter College professor Patrick Delices is the Republican nominee. Sepulveda is expected to win the race easily.
Assembly District 5 – Suffolk County
The 5th Assembly District seat was vacated by Republican Assemblymember Al Graf, who won his bid for a judgeship in Islip in November. Graf’s former Chief of Staff Doug Smith has the Republican nomination; he will face Democrat Deb Slinkosky, who formerly served on the Sachem school board.
Assembly District 10 – Suffolk County
Suffolk County’s 10th Assembly District was most recently represented by Republican Chad Lupinacci.
The GOP has nominated Janet Smitelli, a Huntington attorney, while the Democrats have nominated former Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern.
Assembly 17th District – Nassau County
Former Assemblyman Thomas McKevitt, a Republican, vacated this seat when he was elected to the Nassau County Legislature. Republican John Mikulin, a deputy town attorney for the Town of Hempstead, will face Democrat Matt Malin, an employee of the Nassau County Board of Elections.
Assembly District 39 – Queens
The 39th Assembly District was vacated by former Assemblyman Francisco Moya in November, when he won a City Council seat. Ari Espinal, formerly a Moya staffer, is running unopposed.
Assembly District 74 – Manhattan
The 74th Assembly District was vacated by Brian Kavanagh, who last fall won a special election to replace Senator Dan Squadron. Democrat Harvey Epstein has the Democratic nod and Bryan Cooper is running on the Republican line.
Assembly District 80 – Bronx
The 80th Assembly District seat was held by former Assemblymember Mark Gjonaj, who left the Legislature for the New York City Council. The race features Gjonaj’s former chief of staff Nathalia Fernandez and Republican Gene Defrancis.
Assembly District 102 – Schoharie, Otsego, Delaware, Greene, Columbia, Ulster and Albany
Former Assemblymember Pete Lopez, a Republican, stepped down from his Assembly position to become the regional administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last fall. Republican Schoharie Town Supervisor Christopher Tague will face against Democrat Aidan O’Connor Jr., a member of the Greene County Legislature, to fill the vacancy in this sprawling district.
We are proudly supporting Chris Tague, a small business owner who will bring real world perspective to Albany.
Assembly District 107 – Rensselaer and Columbia
Democrat Cindy Doran and Republican Jake Ashby, both Rensselaer County legislators, will compete in the April 24 special election to fill the 107th Assembly District seat left vacant when Steve McLaughlin became Rensselaer County Executive in January.
Assembly 142nd District – Erie County
Michael Kearns, a Democrat who ran on the GOP line, left the Assembly to become Erie County clerk in the fall. Erie County Legislator Patrick Burke has the Democratic nomination, while the Republicans have nominated Erik Bohen, a Democrat, as their candidate.
The 142nd Assembly District includes parts of South Buffalo and Lackawanna, and West Seneca and Orchard Park.