Meet the Candidates: NYS General Election

State Senate | State Assembly | Council District 3

2026 State Senate Endorsees: Queens | Brooklyn | Manhattan | Hudson Valley & Upstate NY

Queens

Aber Kawas, 12th State Senate District, Queens (Open Seat) – Aber Kawas, who bested Assemblymember Steven Raga in a hotly contested Democratic primary, is our pick to succeed former Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris as the State Senator representing western Queens's 12th District. A community organizer and advocate for police reform and immigrant rights, Ms. Kawas is committed to efforts to makes buses fast and free, including expanded use of signal priority and the rollout of new busways. She supports universal daylighting and expansion of the MTA's Automated Camera Enforcement program to include ticketing of bike lane infractions, and told us she would support the use of cameras on street sweepers to enforce alternate-side parking violations if she's assured that the data is limited to its intended use. Ms. Kawas will also use her office to support the development of the Interborough Express and to advocate for extension of the G line. You can support Aber Kawas's campaign here.

Jessica González-Rojas, 13th State Senate District, Queens (Open Seat) – Jessica González-Rojas, who won her 34th Assembly District seat in 2020 with StreetsPAC's endorsement, is challenging incumbent Jessica Ramos in the overlapping 13th State Senate District. During her first term in the Assembly, "JGR" introduced and passed the MTA Bike Access bill, which became law in 2021 and mandates the creation of a strategic plan to facilitate access to the MTA's bridges and stations. Her "Green New Northern" plan calling for the redesign of dangerous Northern Boulevard led to new dedicated bus lanes, and she continues to advocate for the addition of micro-mobility lanes on Northern. Assemblymember González-Rojas was one of the legislature's fiercest proponents of Sammy's Law, and she championed the creation of Paseo Park, which was born of the 34th Avenue Open Street. She survived getting run over while in a crosswalk in 2024, which left her with a broken arm but doubled her resolve around street-safety issues. You can volunteer to help Jessica González-Rojas' State Senate campaign here.

Brooklyn

Jabari Brisport, 25th State Senate District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Jabari Brisport won his State Senate seat in 2020 with our endorsement, and he's been a reliable supporter of safer streets and better public transit ever since. He gets around the city by bus and subway and Citi Bike, and he believes that progressive transportation policies are inextricably tied to fighting climate change and making the city greener and healthier. He opposes efforts to saddle the use of Class 1 and 2 e-bikes with burdensome regulations, which he thinks would greatly hamper their adoption, instead supporting expansion and upgrading of citywide bike infrastructure as the means to improve cycling safety. But while he's a critic of over-criminalization, he does think that confiscation of illegal and unsafe e-motos and similar devices would help discourage their proliferation. He's also receptive to the idea of developing legislation that would require the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles to retest drivers who've caused crashes resulting in deaths, injuries, or property damage. You can help support Jabari Brisport's re-election effort here.

Andrew Gounardes, 26th State Senate District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Andrew Gounardes has distinguished himself as an unrivaled champion of street safety in his eight years in the State Senate. He won office in 2018 with a campaign focused on protecting, and expanding, New York City's life-saving speed camera program – a promise he delivered on – and he's built upon that legacy ever since. In 2024, he sponsored the legislation that quadrupled the city's contingent of red-light cameras, and just this spring, his "Stop Super Speeders" bill requiring the installation of speed-limiting technology in the vehicles of drivers with significant numbers of dangerous driving violations became law. When the new Senate session starts in January, Senator Gounardes intends to work on passing his bill that sets a goal of a statewide 20% reduction in vehicle miles traveled by 2050. You can donate to Andrew Gounardes's re-election effort here.

Manhattan

Grace Lee, 27th State Senate District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – Grace Lee, who has represented the overlapping 65th Assembly District since 2022, is running to succeed Brian Kavanagh, who surprised a lot of people, us included, when he announced that he would not seek re-election. Assemblymember Lee would like to see increased urgency around efforts to improve safety on Canal Street, citing the crash that killed Kevin Cruickshank and May Kwok last July as evidence of the need for significant design changes. She helped secure a commitment for an elevator at the busy Delancey Street subway station funded by revenue from congestion pricing, which she supports and believes is working, though she's advocating to make the resident income exemption easier to access. Assemblymember Lee would like to see the State DMV enhance driver-education efforts, retest drivers who commit multiple violations, and consider periodic retesting for license holders as they grow older. She opposes registration and licensing for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, though she supports the 15-mph speed cap on pedal-assist Citi Bikes, which she rides often. We also had a very good interview with the other candidate in the Democratic primary, Yuh-Line Niou, the previous Assemblymember for the 65th District, who was also closely aligned with us on transportation policy, but there were a few areas in which we leaned to Ms. Lee. You can volunteer with Grace Lee's campaign here.

Hudson Valley & Upstate NY

Joe Rand, 38th State Senate District, Rockland County (Challenger) – Joe Rand, who's currently serving his second term as mayor of the village of Nyack, is challenging incumbent State Senator Bill Weber for the seat representing the 38th District, which covers most of Rockland County. He's a strong believer in municipal control over lowering speed limits and implementing camera enforcement programs, and he thinks there's a lot the state can do to reform the Department of Motor Vehicles to both improve road safety and modernize the customer experience. He supports stricter regulation of Class 3 e-bikes, but opposes licensing and registration of slower Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. If elected, Mr. Rand plans to advocate for significant investment in west-of-Hudson transit, citing the paucity of Metro-North service as a real challenge for Rockland County, and he recently invested village funds in a local electric shuttle-bus pilot program. He supports building more housing around transit routes, and rides a bike regularly. You can sign up to volunteer with Joe Rand's campaign here, and donate here.

Devin Lander, 43rd State Senate District, Rensselaer, Washington & Albany Counties (Challenger) – Devin Lander,  the New York State Historian and a former Assembly staffer, is challenging incumbent State Senator Jacob Ashby for the seat representing the 43rd District, which is largely sandwiched between the Hudson River and the Massachusetts and Vermont borders. He would like to see Capital District Transit Authority bus service expanded throughout Rensselaer County and into Washington County as a means of improving mobility across the district. Mr. Lander expressed support for legislation that would assess a small fee on motor-vehicle registrations to fund upstate transit systems, as well as for Senator Rachel May's bill that would require NYSDOT to update its bicycle and pedestrian plan every five years. He told us he supports removing I-787 along Albany's Hudson River waterfront, and believes that a pedestrian bridge across the river would have significant mobility benefits. You can get involved with Devin Lander's campaign for State Senate here, and make a contribution here.

Samra Brouk, 55th State Senate District, Monroe County & Greater Rochester (Incumbent) – Samra Brouk was one of our first-ever upstate New York endorsees in 2024, and she has earned our endorsement once again as she runs for her fourth term in the State Senate representing a district that includes the eastern half of the City of Rochester. She believes that creating walkable, bikeable communities is essential to developing healthy economies and attracting younger adults, and she strongly supports Mayor Malik Evans's efforts to expand Rochester's bike network. Senator Brouk has been a vocal proponent of the Inner Loop North project, which is rebuilding an area of downtown Rochester that was beset for decades by an urban highway. She has also championed increasing funding for RTS, the public transit system serving Monroe County, which has struggled with a yawning budget gap and service cuts, and is interested in exploring legislation in the coming Senate session that would create a dedicated revenue stream for upstate transit service. She'd also like to see Rochester's bike share system expand, though she would prefer a docked system to the existing dockless model. You can support Samra Brouk's re-election effort here.

2026 State Assembly Endorsees: Long Island | Queens | Brooklyn | Manhattan | Hudson Valley & Upstate NY

Long Island

Josh Slaughter, 3rd Assembly District, Suffolk County (Challenger) – Josh Slaughter, a Suffolk County native and the political director for Long Island's Laborers Local 66, is challenging incumbent Joe DeStefano for the seat representing Brookhaven's 3rd Assembly District. He served for 12 years as a chief of staff in the Suffolk County legislature before moving to his union position, where he's fought successfully for work-zone speed cameras. He's an advocate for increased transit funding, which he'd like to see invested in electrification and increased frequency on the Long Island Railroad, and he believes the state needs to make a much greater investment in bus service to enhance north-south connections in Suffolk County. Mr. Slaughter supports making reforms to New York State's Department of Motor Vehicles, including requalifying people with repeated dangerous-driving violations, and is open to the possibility of age-based retesting. He's also supportive of New York City's congestion-pricing program, citing the funding allocation to LIRR improvements as critical. You can volunteer with Josh Slaughter's campaign here, and make a contribution here.

Rebecca Kassay, 4th Assembly District, Suffolk County (Incumbent) – Rebecca Kassay is running for re-election as the Assemblymember representing Long Island's 4th District, which includes Port Jefferson, Stony Brook, and Brookhaven, a seat she won with our endorsement in 2024, narrowly defeating the incumbent. In July, her bill permanently protecting the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail became law; the legislation also paves the way for the possible creation of a new rail yard to serve eventual electrification of the Long Island Railroad's Port Jefferson branch, which she has championed as a critical step toward reducing driving in her district. When she served as Deputy Mayor of Port Jefferson Village, she commissioned the area's initial complete-streets study, and she's worked with local advocacy groups to promote better infrastructure for walking and biking. Assemblymember Kassay supports efforts to increase the housing supply to help address the affordability crisis, and she passed a bill to enable a land lease that will allow the construction of student and faculty housing near the LIRR station adjacent to Stony Brook University. You can connect with Rebecca Kassay's campaign here, and make a contribution here.

Craig Herskowitz, 12th Assembly District, Suffolk County (Open Seat) – Craig Herskowitz, an attorney and former federal and state official as well as a traffic court judge in New York City, is running for the open seat representing Suffolk County's 12th Assembly District. He says he hears from voters repeatedly about road-safety concerns, and he thinks there's an appetite for traffic calming and targeted camera enforcement. He supports the city's congestion-pricing program and its mobility, environmental, and transit-funding benefits, and believes that alleged Long Island opposition to congestion pricing was a "manufactured issue." He'd like to see revenue from the program invested in electrifying the Long Island Railroad's Port Jefferson branch east of Huntington, and he's pledged to work with Rebecca Kassay to advance that work. He supports transit-oriented development projects and other efforts to make it easier to walk and bike in the district, and is committed to working with StreetsPAC and other advocates on those goals once he's elected. You can volunteer with Craig Herskowitz's campaign here, and donate to his election effort here.

Queens

Pesach Osina, 23rd Assembly District, Queens (Open Seat) – Pesach Osina, a senior staff member for the past several years in the City Council Speaker's office, is running in the Democratic primary to succeed Stacey Pheffer Amato in this southern Queens district. His top transportation priority is bringing the QueensLink project to fruition, which would reactivate the LIRR's abandoned Rockaway Beach Branch as an extension of the city's subway system and could double transit service to the Rockaways. His most urgent short-term goal is to improve bus service in the district, especially to speed up the trip from one end of the Rockaway peninsula to the other. He's also a strong supporter of expanding access to the Fair Fares program by raising income thresholds and streamlining enrollment. Mr. Osina will advocate for a state-level integrated study to explore how transportation and street safety can be improved throughout the district, and he'd like to see the ferry operate more frequently. You can sign up to volunteer with his campaign here.

Patrick Martinez, 30th Assembly District, Queens (Open Seat) – Patrick Martinez is running to succeed Steven Raga as the Assemblymember representing Queens's 30th District. A member of the generally progressive Queens Community Board 2, he's a regular straphanger who's never owned a car and says his main form of transportation is a bicycle. Mr. Martinez notes that more than half of the district's residents rely on public transit, and it's a driving factor in why he strongly supports the IBX. He also backs the QueensLink initiative aimed at bringing rail service back to the long-defunct Rockaway Beach Branch, and he plans to advocate for a new LIRR station in the district. In terms of street safety, Mr. Martinez believes both Roosevelt Avenue and Broadway are in need of significant redesigns, and he thinks that drivers who accumulate a certain number of license points for dangerous violations should be required to undergo some type of retesting. You can support Patrick Martinez's Assembly campaign here.

Brian Romero, 34th Assembly District, Queens (Open Seat) – Brian Romero, who most recently was chief of staff for State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, previously served in the same role for several years for Jessica González-Rojas, whom he is running to succeed in the Assembly. He played a key role in the passage of the MTA Bike Access bill, handling many of the negotiations with the MTA and Assembly central staff around the legislation's details. Mr. Romero intends to continue the push for improvements on Northern Boulevard, and for better elevator access along the elevated #7 subway line. He plans to ask for a position on the Corporations Committee in the Assembly so he can push the MTA to make the same kind of progress with the bike-parking aspect of the Bike Access law that it has with bridge improvements, advocate for robust bike-parking facilities at future IBX stations, and add his voice to the campaign for fast and free buses. You can contribute to Brian Romero's election effort here.

Diana Moreno, 36th Assembly District, Queens (Incumbent) – Diana Moreno, who won the special election in February to succeed Zohran Mamdani as the Assemblymember representing Astoria and Long Island City, is running in the Democratic primary for the same office. She's committed to leading on issues of traffic safety, and was a regular cyclist before becoming a mother not long ago. She now primarily gets around the city by subway and bus, at least for the time being. Assemblymember Moreno has been a vocal supporter of New York City DOT's efforts to install a protected bike lane on Queens's 31st Street, and she's opposed to efforts to require licensing and registration for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. She's also open to pushing for reforms to the Department of Motor Vehicles, including the possibility of periodic retesting of drivers. You can volunteer to help Diana Moreno win her primary race here.

Samantha Kattan, 37th Assembly District, Queens (Open Seat) – Samantha Kattan, a tenant organizer and Democratic Socialist, is running to succeed Claire Valdez, who's in turn running for Congress, in this western Queens Assembly District that includes Ridgewood, Sunnyside, Maspeth, and a portion of Woodside. Kattan has a master's degree in urban planning, and told us that one of her goals is to make cities less car-dependent. A regular cyclist before having her now-one-year-old daughter, she lists improving the district's cycling infrastructure as one of her top street-safety priorities, along with investing in bus service and prioritizing bus right-of-way. She supports wider implementation of lower speed limits, and favors legislation, like Stop Super Speeders, that seeks to modify driver behavior without being overly punitive. We also thought highly of Pia Rahman, who is one of Ms. Kattan's rivals in the Democratic primary and shares her commitment to prioritizing street safety, but we believe Samantha Kattan is best equipped to be the next Assemblymember. You can find information about helping her campaign here. 

David Orkin, 38th Assembly District, Queens (Open Seat) – David Orkin, an immigrant-rights attorney and union organizer, is challenging incumbent Jenifer Rajkumar in this central Queens Assembly district. A dedicated cyclist who regularly walks to work, he plans to push for design changes to the district's three major arterial roadways–Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven Boulevard, and Atlantic Avenue–where he'd especially like to see more pedestrian space and better traffic controls. He'll advocate for action on cycling infrastructure, which is non-existent in the southern portion of the district, and for fast and free buses, which he thinks would greatly benefit the many neighborhoods that rely heavily on surface transit. Mr. Orkin opposes efforts to license and register Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, and calls Assemblymember Rajkumar's "Priscilla's Law" bill "incredibly overbroad." You can sign up to volunteer for David Orkin's campaign here.

Catalina Cruz, 39th Assembly District, Queens (Incumbent) – Catalina Cruz earned our endorsement when she first won her Assembly seat in 2018, and in every election since. She's been a strong supporter of Paseo Park along Jackson Heights' 34th Avenue, one of her district's borders, and she worked closely with us in 2020 while assembling a coalition of elected officials who pressed the city for safer Open Street designs. Assemblymember Cruz opposes the licensing and registration of e-bikes, which she thinks would be deeply detrimental to her community's large working-immigrant population. On the transit front, she's a supporter of the IBX project, for which the northern terminus will be adjacent to her district, and she would like to see the MTA reconstruct and reopen the Long Island Railroad's Elmhurst Station, which would relieve crowding on the 7 line. You can volunteer for Catalina Cruz's re-election campaign here.

Brooklyn

Brian Cunningham, 43rd Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Brian Cunningham won our endorsement in 2022 to his first full term in the Assembly after winning a special election in March of that year. As a member of the Assembly's Transportation Committee, he co-sponsored the speed-camera reauthorization bill that paved the way for the wide expansion of the program in New York City. He's the prime sponsor of legislation that would authorize the use of cameras on city street sweepers to enforce alternate-side parking violations, which he's let Assembly leadership know is a priority (it is for DSNY, too), and he told us he's revising an overly broad e-bike regulation bill to focus more squarely on commercial app regulation. He's also open to working with advocates on a package of transportation- and street-safety-oriented legislation that could include a requirement for additional education and re-testing for drivers. Assemblymember Cunningham's opponent in the Democratic primary lists concerns about protected bike lanes as the first item on his website's Issues page, so the choice for voters in the 43rd District is an easy one.

Robert Carroll, 44th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Robert Carroll has been stalwart on street-safety and transportation issues during his decade in the Assembly, winning his seat with our endorsement in 2016 and earning our support in every election since. He was one of the most vocal backers of congestion pricing in the legislature, and has been a strong proponent of automated camera enforcement efforts. Assemblymember Carroll is carrying two important bills related to the explosive growth in home delivery: one would require delivery-app companies to provide liability insurance for workers delivering on their behalf, and the other would generate funding for transit improvements by assessing a small tax on package deliveries. He believes that the advent of autonomous vehicles is inevitable, and that New York State should be a leader in regulating and managing their rollout, pointing to the potential benefits for people with mobility issues who might otherwise be homebound or reliant on the under-resourced Access-A-Ride program. You can support Robert Carroll's re-election effort here.

Emily Gallagher, 50th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Emily Gallagher has been a tremendous champion for street safety and public transit since winning her seat in 2020 with our backing against one of the Assembly's most senior incumbents. She led the fight to redesign dangerous McGuinness Boulevard, for which the city broke ground on the final segment last week, and which garnered her a well-funded primary opponent in 2024. Her Stop Super Speeders bill, mandating the installation of speed-limiting technology in the vehicles of drivers with significant numbers of speeding tickets, just passed as part of the state budget. She would like to see the city reopen some of her district's discontinued Open Streets, and is committed to advocating for further design enhancements to Berry Street. Assemblymember Gallagher was a staunch ally in bringing congestion pricing to fruition, and has been a consistent advocate for G train riders. You can volunteer to help Emily Gallagher's re-election effort here.

Jo Anne Simon, 52nd Assembly District, Brooklyn (Incumbent) – Jo Anne Simon has earned our support repeatedly during her dozen years in the legislature, which have been notable for her consistency in sponsoring or co-sponsoring numerous bills aimed at making streets safer and public transit more reliable, including her bill that would end New York City's opt-out from statewide daylighting laws. She's a long-time member of the Assembly's Transportation Committee, and is the prime sponsor of a bill that would codify pedal-assist e-bikes as bicycles. Assemblymember Simon has been a champion for accessibility and improved bus service, especially for restoring Brooklyn's B71 bus route and for adding service between Red Hook and lower Manhattan, and she believes it's well within the purview of the legislature to work with the governor to reform the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles' licensing procedures. She was named the New York League of Conservation Voters's 2025 Environmental Champion in the Assembly for her work on sustainability issues. You can contribute to Jo Anne Simon's re-election effort here.

Christian Celeste Tate, 54th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Open Seat) – Christian Celeste Tate, a Democratic Socialist and strategy consultant who works with philanthropies and non-profits to address poverty and inequality, is challenging incumbent Assemblymember Erik Dilan in this district that spans Brooklyn's Bushwick, Cypress Hills, and East New York neighborhoods. As First Vice Chair and chair of the Transportation Committee, he's helped steer Brooklyn Community Board 4 in a more progressive direction, supporting full accessibility for the Broadway Junction station, resisting efforts to require universal licensing and registration for e-bikes, and passing a unanimous resolution opposing the NYPD's issuing of criminal summonses for cycling infractions. He's committed to using his influence in the legislature to push for both better bus service and cycling infrastructure in East New York. He hopes to tap into the same voter energy that he helped marshal as the East New York field lead for Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign. You can volunteer with Christian Celeste Tate's Assembly campaign here.

Eon Tyrell Huntley, 56th Assembly District, Brooklyn (Open Seat) – We endorsed Eon Tyrell Huntley when he challenged incumbent Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman in 2024, and we're doing so again in June's Democratic primary. Mr. Huntley, a retail worker, former PTA president, and Democratic Socialist, is a regular subway commuter and Citi Bike member who's a proponent of expanding and improving protected biking infrastructure in Bed-Stuy. He supports universal daylighting, as well as the mayor's call for fast and free buses, and believes it's important to extend the bike share program into places like East New York. He thinks the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles should be much more proactive in addressing unsafe driving, and should entertain protocols like retesting drivers who accumulate a certain number of violations for dangerous driving behaviors. You can help Eon Tyrell Huntley win his primary race by signing up here.

Manhattan

Illapa Sairitupac, 65th Assembly District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – Illapa Sairitupac first came to our attention in 2022, when he ran a competitive second in the Democratic primary to Grace Lee, who went on to win this Assembly seat and is now running for the overlapping State Senate district. A tenant organizer and immigrant-rights activist, he believes strongly that we must reshape our built environment to livability, safety, accessibility, and sustainability, and he cites Canal Street as a prime candidate for that type of transformation. He supports pedestrianizing large parts of downtown, and backs NYC DOT's efforts to implement a two-way protected bike lane on Lafayette Street. He's opposed to regulating and licensing Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, but he does think that New York City should phase out Class 3 models and adopt a "20 is plenty" approach, including wide-ranging speed limit reductions under Sammy's Law, while also regulating delivery apps much more aggressively. We also enjoyed our conversations with two of the other candidates vying for the seat, Lilah Mejia and Jasmin Sanchez, but Mr. Sairitupac's full embrace of congestion pricing was among the distinctions that separated his candidacy. You can sign up to help Illapa Sairitupac's campaign here.

David Siffert, 66th Assembly District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – David Siffert, a civil-rights lawyer and law professor, is in line to succeed Deborah Glick after winning a highly competitive six-way Democratic primary in June. David has had extensive experience with the legislature, helping to draft a number of bills and, notably, filing an amicus brief on behalf of a number of lawmakers in support of congestion pricing. David is supportive of camera-enforcement programs, but with the caveat that reliable privacy guardrails are placed around the storage and safety of data. When it comes to micromobility, David supports phasing out Class 3 e-bikes in New York City, while opposing adding burdensome regulations around Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. David also believes that much more can be done to hold delivery apps accountable for safety, and thinks it would make sense for the serial numbers on Citi Bikes to be more easily readable. As a resident of 14th Street when the busway was first proposed, David bucked many neighbors in supporting the project, and would like to see that model replicated in other parts of the city. And while generally opposed to increasing criminal penalties for driving offenses, David believes there's a strong case for graduated fines and stronger civil penalties for dangerous behavior. David Siffert is running unopposed in November, but you can support their campaign here.

Eli Northrup, 69th Assembly District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – Eli Northrup is running to succeed Micah Lasher, who's running for Congress, in this Upper West Side Assembly district. Mr. Northrup, who finished second to Mr. Lasher two years ago, impressed us to the point that we remained neutral in the 2024 primary race. He's a public defender in the Bronx, and has already spent considerable time in Albany advocating for criminal-justice reforms. Given his experience, he has concerns about disparities in traffic enforcement, and has a strong preference for restorative justice, mandatory education, and escalating fines over suspending licenses and registrations. As someone who gets around by public transit and bike, he's pledged to be a clear voice for fast and free buses in the Assembly, and as someone who regularly rides a pedal-assist Citi Bike, he'll oppose efforts to license and register Class 1 and 2 e-bikes, while working to regulate delivery apps and advocate for better street design. You can volunteer to help Eli Northrup get elected here.

Vanessa Aronson, 73rd Assembly District, Manhattan (Open Seat) – Vanessa Aronson, a non-profit executive and former U.S. diplomat and New York City public school teacher, is running to succeed Alex Bores as the Assemblymember representing this east side district stretching from Murray Hill to Carnegie Hill. She backed congestion pricing prior to its implementation, and will use her position in the Assembly to support improvements in the bus service upon which so many district residents rely. Ms. Aronson believes strongly that many of the concerns around e-bikes could be addressed by regulating delivery app companies and improving infrastructure, and she plans to advocate for crosstown bike lanes with connections through Central Park's transverses, including the Department of Transportation's planned redesign of 72nd Street, which will come to the east side following initial implementation west of the park. Vanessa Aronson is running unopposed in November's general election, but you can donate to her campaign here.

Keith Powers, 74th Assembly District, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Keith Powers is running for his first full term in the Assembly after winning a special election in February to succeed Harvey Epstein in this east side district. Now a six-time StreetsPAC endorsee, Mr. Powers has been a reliable advocate for walking, biking, and public transit. As a New York City Council Member, he delivered on a number of transportation-related campaign promises, including the extension of Sixth Avenue's protected bike lane north to Central Park, the closing of the gap in the Second Avenue bike lane, and the creation of the 14th Street busway. He was the author of the Council bill that created the city's e-bike, moped, and lithium-ion battery trade-in program, supported NYC DOT's complete-street redesign of 3rd Avenue, and used his influence over the Midtown South Mixed-Use rezoning proposal to compel the city to proceed with the 34th Street busway project. While running for Borough President last year, he rode every one of Manhattan's bus routes, and issued a seven-point plan for improving bus service, which will come in handy given the legislature's oversight role with the MTA. Assemblymember Powers is also committed to working to strengthen mechanisms for removing repeat dangerous drivers from city streets. You can support Keith Powers's campaign here.

Hudson Valley & Upstate NY

Dana Levenberg, 95th Assembly District, Putnam & Westchester Counties (Incumbent) – Dana Levenberg is running for her third term as the Assemblymember representing this Hudson Valley district covering portions of Putnam and Westchester Counties, which includes the Town of Ossining, where she served as Town Supervisor before winning her legislative seat in 2022. She has a progressive record on transportation issues, including her support for the implementation of congestion pricing given its importance in funding the Metro-North rail service she considers essential to her constituents. As Ossining Supervisor, she championed the planning of the MOGO Trail, a proposed greenway path that would connect the Empire State Trail to Ossining's train station and bus routes in between. Assemblymember Levenberg is open to introducing legislation that would require periodic retesting of drivers, and opposes creating regulatory hurdles to the growing adoption of Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. She has also partnered with Andrew Gounardes on a complete-streets bill that would prioritize the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit riders in state and local transportation projects. You can contribute to Dana Levenberg's re-election effort here.

Janet Tweed, 102nd Assembly District, Schoharie & Greene Counties (Open Seat) – Janet Tweed, a physical therapist and trustee of the Village of Delhi, is running in the Democratic primary for the open seat held currently by Chris Tague, who is running for State Senate. She was the Democratic nominee for the seat in 2024. A regular bike commuter when she lived in Philadelphia and Chicago, she's been involved in complete-streets efforts at the village, town, and county levels, and supported lowering local speed limits to 25 mph after the state allowed municipal control, which she notes has definitely made a difference. She's had a hand in getting rid of antiquated parking requirements to spur economic activity and improve walkability in downtown areas, and she's supportive of a proposed Albany bill that would levy a $25 fee on car registrations dedicated to upstate transit funding, though she knows it will be unpopular in her transit-starved rural district. We also had a good interview with Thomas Boomhower, who's running in the Democratic primary as well, but we felt Ms. Tweed had the edge given her experience. You can contribute to Janet Tweed's campaign for Assembly here.

Chloe Pierce, 107th Assembly District, Rensselaer, Washington & Columbia Counties (Challenger) – Chloe Pierce, whom we endorsed in 2024, is running in a rematch with incumbent Assemblymember Scott Bendett for the right to represent this district sandwiched between Albany and the Vermont and Massachusetts borders. A lifelong resident of the Capital Region, she works as a lobbyist who has represented the Trust for Public Lands and clients involved in mobility work, and previously worked for AARP. Though much of the 107th district is rural, there's increasing advocacy in towns like Bethlehem for better bike infrastructure like multi-modal paths that support transportation, recreation, and tourism, which Ms. Pierce heartily supports. While there are local concerns around traffic safety, especially speeding, Ms. Pierce believes the primary transportation issue in the district is the need for better public transit, especially to connect residents with health care facilities and to support the elderly population. She's also supportive of rebooting the effort to extend Metro-North service northward beyond Dutchess County. You can sign up to help with Chloe Pierce's campaign here, and make a donation here.

Dennis Gordon, 117th Assembly District, North Country (Open Seat) – Dennis Gordon, a graphic designer and small business owner, is running to succeed retiring Assemblymember Ken Blankenbush in this North Country district that stretches about 150 miles from north to south. He's the first Democratic candidate to run for the Assembly in the 117th District in well over a decade. Mr. Gordon supports implementing complete-streets policies in many of the district's rural villages, where vehicles are often driven at highway speeds through small downtown areas that lack sidewalks or crosswalks. He believes small municipalities should have the authority to lower local speed limits where state roads pass through, and he bemoans the absence of nearly any public transit serving the area's four counties; residents are either tethered to their cars, or stranded if they're unable, or unable to afford, to drive. Mr. Gordon supports tightening regulations around e-motos, but he wants to encourage access to pedal-assist e-bikes, which he thinks would be beneficial to North Country residents. You can support Dennis Gordon's campaign for Assembly here.

Jon Lipe, 119th Assembly District, Utica & Rome/Oneida County (Open Seat) – Jon Lipe, who was until recently a congressional staffer, is running in the Democratic primary to succeed Marianne Buttenschon, who is not seeking re-election. He attended American University in Washington, D.C. and then worked for several years on Capitol Hill, and the walkable, bikeable, car-free lifestyle he was able to lead in Washington informs his vision of what Utica and Rome, at least in part, could be. He's committed to pushing for increased investment in those cities' public transit systems, which he views as a key component of revitalizing their downtown areas, something he believes can be accelerated by expanding sidewalks and eventually, building out a cycling network. Mr. Lipe is open to requiring the Department of Motor Vehicles to mandate retesting for drivers who accumulate a significant number of moving violations, and he thinks there's a proactive role for DMV to play in notifying motorists about infrastructure changes like new roundabouts, bike lanes, and curb regulations. You can support Jon Lipe's campaign for Assembly here.

Anna Kelles, 125th Assembly District, Tompkins & Cortland Counties (Incumbent) – Anna Kelles handily earned one of our initial upstate endorsements in 2024, and we're enthusiastic about supporting her run for a fourth term in the Assembly. As chair of the Assembly's Commission on Rural Resources, Dr. Kelles has passed legislation placing a moratorium on certain types of cryptocurrency mining, and she heavily influenced the state's decision to pause development of data centers. She's a fierce advocate for public transit upstate, and she saved Ithaca Carshare by passing a bill that makes it easier for non-profit operators to obtain insurance. Prompted by a question in our 2024 candidate survey, she introduced an Assembly companion to State Senator Rachel May's bill requiring regular updates to the state's bicycle and pedestrian plan, and she has explored legislation that would fund operating assistance for bike-share systems. A regular cyclist herself, Dr. Kelles has twice ended up on the wrong end of car-on-bike crashes. While she's running unopposed in November's general election, you can contribute to Anna Kelles's campaign here.

Maurice Brown, 129th Assembly District, Syracuse (Open Seat) – Maurice "Mo" Brown, an Onondaga County legislator and organizer who also managed Anna Kelles's winning Assembly campaign in 2020, is challenging incumbent Assemblymember Bill Magnarelli in June's Democratic primary. He's committed to fighting for increased funding for Centro, the region's public-transit system, to extend routes and enhance service, and for major upgrades to the city's bike infrastructure, with an emphasis on more protected lanes. He was very involved in the effort to tear down I-81, which runs through the center of Syracuse, advocating for the street-grid replacement that is being implemented, and he hopes to expand the city's scooter-share program to the entirety of Onondaga County before he leaves his current position. Mr. Brown primarily gets around the district on his e-bike, so he knows firsthand that efforts to require licensing and registration for Class 1 and 2 vehicles are misguided and counter-productive. You can help Mo Brown get elected by donating to his campaign here.

Kurt VanWuyckhuyse, 134th Assembly District, Monroe County (Challenger) – Kurt VanWuyckhuyse is a native of the 134th Assembly District, which is located to the northwest of Rochester along Lake Ontario. A first-time candidate and the first Democrat to contest the seat in six years, he's facing off against incumbent Josh Jensen in November's general election. Mr. VanWuyckhuyse manages an auto-repair shop, which gives him a unique perspective into car culture. He reached out to us months before we even issued our questionnaire, and the amount of thought and effort he put into completing it was evident in his answers. He's committed to advocating for increased funding for RTS and other upstate transit systems, and he believes that e-bikes, while obviously not the answer for everyone, can contribute greatly to improving mobility in Monroe County. He's excited that parts of the district are beginning to build cycling infrastructure, and he'd like to see additional investments in the Erie Canalway Trail. Mr. VanWuyckhuyse is a strong proponent of automated enforcement – the town of Greece is starting to test cameras – and he supports retesting drivers who reach certain thresholds of moving violations. You can contribute to Kurt VanWuyckhuyse's Assembly campaign here.

Adam Bojak, 149th Assembly District, Buffalo (Open Seat) – Adam Bojak, who represents people in family court who can't afford an attorney and also offers free legal advice to tenants, is running in the Democratic primary to succeed Jon Rivera, who's running for State Senate. He lives in Buffalo with his wife and two pre-school-aged kids, and concern for their wellbeing is key to his commitment to safer streets. He'd like to see major improvements to Buffalo's cycling infrastructure, and he's committed to seeking increased funding for NFTA-Metro, which operates the region's buses and very limited rail options, in order to expand service. Mr. Bojak would make revitalizing Buffalo's downtown a focus, and will seek positions on the Assembly's transportation and housing committees to help facilitate that work. A Democratic Socialist, he's earned the endorsement of multiple DSA chapters, and the Working Families Party. You can contribute to Adam Bojak's campaign here.

2026 New York City Council District 3

Carl Wilson, 3rd Council District, Manhattan (Incumbent) – Carl Wilson, who won the special election for this seat in April, spent most of the last decade working in the City Council, first managing constituent services for then-Council Speaker Corey Johnson, and more recently as Chief of Staff to the Council Member he succeeded, Erik Bottcher. He moved to New York City to pursue an acting career, but gravitated to activism after the 2016 presidential election, co-founding the progressive Hell's Kitchen Democrats. Mr. Wilson is committed to fighting to fully fund the Department of Transportation's staffing and capital needs to help it better meet Streets Plan benchmarks, and supports reallocating curb space to daylight intersections and to add features like bike parking and loading zones, as well as to improve accessibility. He rides a bike almost every day, and he opposes the licensing and registration of Class I and II e-bikes, believing that the city should focus on better street design and infrastructure and app accountability, along with enforcement that's fair and targeted to truly unsafe behavior. Council Member Wilson is endorsed by many of the elected officials whose districts overlap the 3rd Council District, including Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Tony Simone, and he's earned the support of the three most recent holders of the seat, former City Council Speakers Chris Quinn and Corey Johnson and the newly minted State Senator, Mr. Bottcher. You can contribute to Carl Wilson's campaign here.