2016 New York State Assembly 65th district special election

none June 2026 September 2023 2016 New York State Assembly 65th district special election New York by-election no 2014 New York State Assembly election 2014 2016 New York State Assembly election 2016 April 19, 2016 x150px Alice Cancel Democratic Party (United States) 7,873 41.34% x150px Yuh-Line Niou Working Families Party 6,654 34.94% x150px Lester Chang Republican Party (United States) Independence Reform 3,752 19.70% NYAD65 State Assembly Special Election 2016.svg 300px Precinct resultsCancel: #BDD3FF 30–40% #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996E2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80% #3933e5 80–90%Niou: #aae5aa 30–40% #87de87 40–50% #5fd35f 50–60%Chang: #FFC8CD 30–40% #A80000 >90%Tie: #DECDE6 30–40% Member of the New York State Assembly Sheldon Silver Democratic Party (United States) Alice Cancel Democratic Party (United States) New York State Assembly 65th district The 2016 New York State Assembly 65th district special election was held on April 19, 2016. Democratic nominee Alice Cancel defeated Working Families nominee Yuh-Line Niou, Republican nominee Lester Chang, and Green nominee Dennis Levy to succeed Representative Sheldon Silver in the New York State Assembly from the 65th district. Silver had served in the state assembly since 1976, and as Speaker since 1994, but he resigned and was convicted for a corruption scandal. Cancel won the Democratic nomination although Niou and Jenifer Rajkumar accused the process of being undemocratic. Chang received the nominations of the Republican, Independence, Reform, and Clean Up The Mess parties while Levy received the Green nomination. Niou ran in the special election with the Working Families nomination, but Cancel won in the election. Niou later defeated Cancel in the 2016 primary and Rajkumar was elected to the state assembly after the 2020 election. Background Representative Sheldon Silver was first elected to the New York State Assembly in the 1976 election and was selected to serve as Speaker in 1994. Silver resigned from the speakership and state assembly and was later convicted in a $5 million corruption case.January 27, 2015 Sheldon Silver to Be Replaced as Speaker of New York State Assembly The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/nyregion/sheldon-silver-to-be-replaced-as-speaker-of-new-york-state-assembly.html live https://archive.today/20210706014833/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/nyregion/sheldon-silver-to-be-replaced-as-speaker-of-new-york-state-assembly.html July 6, 2021 Governor Andrew Cuomo called a special election for the seat alongside special elections for the 59th and 62nd assembly districts and the 9th Senate district.February 1, 2016 Cuomo calls April special election to fill L.E.S. Assembly seat AM New York Metro https://www.amny.com/news/28238/ live https://archive.today/20210706174909/https://www.amny.com/news/28238/ July 6, 2021 Campaign Candidates Democratic The candidate was selected by 185 County Committee members using weighed votes. Yuh-Line Niou announced at the end of her five-minute speech at the selection meeting that she was dropping out stating that the nomination process was flawed. Alice Cancel defeated Paul Newell, Jenifer Rajkumar, Niou, and Gigi Li for the Democratic nomination. Rajkumar also stated that the selection process was undemocratic.February 9, 2016 Alice Cancel tapped by Democrats for special election AM New York Metro https://www.amny.com/news/alice-cancel-tapped-by-democrats-for-special-election/ live https://archive.today/20210706180147/https://www.amny.com/news/alice-cancel-tapped-by-democrats-for-special-election/ July 6, 2021February 11, 2016 Committee picks Cancel for special election; Niou abruptly bows out before vote AM New York Metro https://www.amny.com/news/committee-picks-cancel-to-run-in-special-election-to-succeed-sheldon-silver/ live https://archive.today/20210706181210/https://www.amny.com/news/committee-picks-cancel-to-run-in-special-election-to-succeed-sheldon-silver/ July 6, 2021 2016 New York State Assembly 65th district special Democratic selection Democratic Party (United States) Alice Cancel 5,772 70.04% Democratic Party (United States) Paul Newell 1,770.5 21.49% Democratic Party (United States) Jenifer Rajkumar 605 7.34% Democratic Party (United States) Yuh-Line Niou 93 1.13% Democratic Party (United States) Gigi Li 0 0.00% 8,240.5 100.00% Other Newell declined the nomination of the Independence Party of New York. Dennis Levy, the president of the New York State Committee to Legalize Marijuana, ran with the nomination of the Green Party. Lester Chang appeared on the ballot with the nominations of the Republican, Independence, Reform, and Clean Up The Mess parties.April 14, 2016 Our Conversation with Assembly Candidate Lester Chang The Lo-Down https://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/04/our-conversation-with-assembly-candidate-lester-chang.html live https://archive.today/20210706185625/https://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/04/our-conversation-with-assembly-candidate-lester-chang.html July 6, 2021 Results and aftermath The Lo-Down moderated two candidate forums during the campaign which included Cancel, Niou, Chang, and Levy.April 12, 2016 Recap: Candidates Speak Out Before Next Tuesday's Special Election The Lo-Down https://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/04/recap-canidates-speak-out-before-next-tuesdays-special-election.html live https://archive.today/20210707234146/https://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/04/recap-canidates-speak-out-before-next-tuesdays-special-election.html July 7, 2021 Cancel defeated Niou, Chang, and Levy in the election.April 19, 2016 Special Election 59 62 and 65 Assembly Results New York City Board of Elections https://vote.nyc/sites/default/files/downloads/pdf/election_results/2016/20160419Special%20Election/00102300065New%20York%20Member%20of%20the%20Assembly%2065th%20Assembly%20District%20Recap.pdf live https://web.archive.org/web/20210707061417/https://vote.nyc/sites/default/files/downloads/pdf/election_results/2016/20160419Special%20Election/00102300065New%20York%20Member%20of%20the%20Assembly%2065th%20Assembly%20District%20Recap.pdf July 7, 2021 During the 2016 election Niou defeated Cancel for the Democratic nomination and Niou won in the general election after defeating Republican nominee Bryan Jung, Green nominee Manny Cavaco, and Cancel who appeared on the ballot with the Women's Equality Party's nomination.September 13, 2016 Recap: Candidates Speak Out Before Next Tuesday's Special Election The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/nyregion/assembly-primary-yuh-line-niou-sheldon-silver.html live https://archive.today/20210707234727/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/nyregion/assembly-primary-yuh-line-niou-sheldon-silver.html July 7, 2021November 8, 2016 NYS Board of Elections Assembly Election Returns New York City Board of Elections https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2016/General/2016Assembly.pdf live https://web.archive.org/web/20210108183703/https://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/elections/2016/General/2016Assembly.pdf January 8, 2021 Rajkumar was later elected to the state assembly from the 38th district during the 2020 election.November 4, 2020 New York elects first South Asian Americans to state Assembly NBC https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/new-york-elects-first-south-asian-americans-state-assembly-n1245860 live https://archive.today/20210708045027/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/new-york-elects-first-south-asian-americans-state-assembly-n1245860 July 8, 2021 Chang was later elected to the state assembly from the 49th district during the 2022 election.Fink Zack Assembly prepared to vote against seating Brooklyn Republican https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2022/11/30/brooklyn-republican-lester-chang-assembly-vote-unseat-special-election December 1, 2022 NY1 November 30, 2022 Results 2016 New York State Assembly 65th district special election Democratic Party (United States) Alice Cancel 7,873 41.34% Working Families Party Yuh-Line Niou 6,654 34.94% Republican Party (United States) Lester Chang 2,972 15.60% Independence Party of New York Lester Chang 503 2.64% Clean Up This Mess Lester Chang 155 0.81% Reform Party of New York State Lester Chang 122 0.64% Total Lester Chang 3,712 19.49% Green Party of the United States Dennis Levy 714 3.75% Independent (politician) Write-ins 93 0.49% 19,046 100.00% Total Invalid 892 Endorsements Cancel endorsements Local officials Margaret Chin, member of the New York City Council from the 1st district Margarita López, former member of the New York City Council from the 2nd districtMarch 1, 2016 Campaign for the 65th Assembly District: Endorsement Roundup The Lo-Down http://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/03/campaign-for-the-65th-assembly-district-endorsement-roundup.html live https://archive.today/20210706183549/https://www.thelodownny.com/leslog/2016/03/campaign-for-the-65th-assembly-district-endorsement-roundup.html July 6, 2021 Chang endorsements Local officials Rudy Giuliani, 107th Mayor of New York CityMarch 24, 2016 Giuliani and G.O.P. going all out for Lester Chang AM New York Metro https://www.amny.com/news/giuliani-and-g-o-p-going-all-out-for-lester-chang/ live https://archive.today/20210706183255/https://www.amny.com/news/giuliani-and-g-o-p-going-all-out-for-lester-chang/ July 6, 2021 Newspapers New York PostApril 17, 2016 The Post endorses Lester Chang to fill Silver's seat New York Post https://nypost.com/2016/04/17/the-post-endorses-lester-chang-to-fill-silvers-seat/ live https://archive.today/20210706182941/https://nypost.com/2016/04/17/the-post-endorses-lester-chang-to-fill-silvers-seat/ July 6, 2021 Niou endorsements State officials Marcos Crespo, member of the New York State Assembly from the 85th district Maritza Davila, member of the New York State Assembly from the 53rd district Brad Hoylman, member of the New York State Senate from the 27th district Brian P. Kavanagh, member of the New York State Assembly from the 74th district Francisco Moya, member of the New York State Assembly from the 39th district N. Nick Perry, member of the New York State Assembly from the 58th district Robert J. Rodriguez, member of the New York State Assembly from the 68th district Linda Rosenthal, member of the New York State Assembly from the 67th district Luis R. Sepúlveda, member of the New York State Assembly from the 87th district Daniel Squadron, member of the New York State Senate from the 26th district Local officials Rubén Díaz Jr., 13th Borough president of The Bronx Letitia James, 4th New York City Public AdvocateApril 14, 2016 Cancel gets Chin's nod, but Niou is far outpacing her in key endorsements AM New York Metro https://www.amny.com/news/cancel-gets-chins-nod-but-niou-is-far-outpacing-her-in-key-endorsements/ live https://archive.today/20210706190624/https://www.amny.com/news/cancel-gets-chins-nod-but-niou-is-far-outpacing-her-in-key-endorsements/ July 6, 2021 John Liu, 43rd New York City Comptroller Carlos Menchaca, member of the New York City Council from the 38th district Scott Stringer, 44th New York City ComptrollerApril 21, 2016 NY Assembly Seat Representing Manhattan Chinatown Goes to Democrat NBC https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/ny-assembly-seat-representing-manhattan-chinatown-goes-democrat-n560131 live https://archive.today/20210706040657/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/ny-assembly-seat-representing-manhattan-chinatown-goes-democrat-n560131 July 6, 2021 Antonio Reynoso, member of the New York City Council from the 34th district Ritchie Torres, member of the New York City Council from the 15th district Organizations New York State United Teachers United Federation of Teachers Newspapers The New York TimesApril 8, 2016 Choices for New York's Special Elections The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/opinion/choices-for-new-yorks-special-elections.html?_r=1 live https://archive.today/20210706190145/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/opinion/choices-for-new-yorks-special-elections.html?_r=1 July 6, 2021April 10, 2016 New York Times Urges Voters to Choose Working Families Party Nominee for Assembly, Special Election, Instead of the Democratic Nominee Ballot Access News https://ballot-access.org/2016/04/10/new-york-times-urges-voters-to-choose-working-families-party-nominee-for-assembly-special-election-instead-of-the-democratic-nominee/ live https://archive.today/20210706190406/https://ballot-access.org/2016/04/10/new-york-times-urges-voters-to-choose-working-families-party-nominee-for-assembly-special-election-instead-of-the-democratic-nominee/ July 6, 2021 References Category:New York State Assembly elections Assembly District 65 special State Assembly District 65 New York State Assembly 65th district special election