New York's ninety-seventh state assembly district is represented by Democratic Representative Ellen Jaffee.

New York state assembly members represent an average of 129,187 residents, as of the 2010 Census. After the 2000 Census, each member represented approximately 126,510 residents.

About the office

Members of the New York State Assembly serve two-year terms and are not subject to term limits. New York legislators assume office the first Wednesday in January. When the first Wednesday in January falls on January 1, it shall meet the next Wednesday.

Qualifications

Article 3, Section 7 of the New York Constitution states: "No person shall serve as a member of the legislature unless he or she is a citizen of the United States and has been a resident of the state of New York for five years, and, except as hereinafter otherwise prescribed, of the assembly or senate district for the twelve months immediately preceding his or her election; if elected a senator or member of assembly at the first election next ensuing after a readjustment or alteration of the senate or assembly districts becomes effective, a person, to be eligible to serve as such, must have been a resident of the county in which the senate or assembly district is contained for the twelve months immediately preceding his or her election. No member of the legislature shall, during the time for which he or she was elected, receive any civil appointment from the governor, the governor and the senate, the legislature or from any city government, to an office which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time."

Salaries

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the house, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. An election can be held as long the vacancy happened before April 1st in an election year. The person elected to fill the vacant seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of New York State Assembly will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for June 23, 2020. The filing deadline is April 2, 2020.

2018

2016

Elections for the New York State Assembly took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The filing deadline for major party candidates was July 14, 2016. The filing deadline for independent candidates was August 23, 2016.

Incumbent Ellen Jaffee defeated Joseph S. Chabot and Thomas M. Gulla in the New York State Assembly District 97 general election.

New York State Assembly, District 97 General Election, 2016

Incumbent Ellen Jaffee defeated Thomas M. Gulla in the New York State Assembly District 97 Democratic primary.

New York State Assembly, District 97 Democratic Primary, 2016

Jaffee also ran on the Green Party ticket. Gulla also ran on the Working Families ticket. Joseph S. Chabot ran unopposed in the New York State Assembly District 97 Republican primary. Chabot also ran on the Conservative and Reform Party tickets.

2014

Elections for the New York State Assembly took place in 2014. A primary election took place on September 9, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 10, 2014. Incumbent Ellen Jaffee was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Robert Romanowski was unopposed in the Republican primary. Jaffee ran on the Working Families Party and Romanowski ran on the Conservative Party ticket. Jaffee defeated Romanowski in the general election.

New York State Assembly, District 97 General Election, 2014

2012

Elections for the office of New York State Assembly consisted of a primary election on September 13, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was July 12, 2012. Incumbent Ellen Jaffee (D) defeated Joseph T. Gravagna (R) in the general election. Jaffee -- who also ran on the Working Families Party and Independence Party of New York State tickets -- was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Gravagna was unopposed in the Republican primary; he also ran on the Independence Party of New York State and Conservative Party tickets.

New York State Assembly, District 97, General Election, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for New York State Assembly District 97 raised a total of $1,175,227. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $55,963 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, New York State Assembly District 97