New York's fifty-ninth state assembly district is represented by Democratic Representative Jaime Williams, who won a 2016 special election prompted by the election of Democrat Representative Roxanne Persaud to the state Senate.

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

General election

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 Jaime Williams defeated Jeffrey J. Ferretti in the New York State Assembly District 59 general election.

New York State Assembly, District 59 General Election, 2016

Incumbent Jaime Williams ran unopposed in the New York State Assembly District 59 Democratic primary.
Williams also ran on the Working Families Party ticket. Jeffrey J. Ferretti ran unopposed in the New York State Assembly District 59 Republican primary. Ferretti also ran on the Conservative Party ticket.

Special election

A special election for the position of New York State Assembly District 59 was called for April 19. Candidates were nominated by parties rather than chosen in primaries.

The seat was vacant following Roxanne Persaud's (D) election to the state Senate in November 2015.

Jaime Williams (D) defeated Jeffrey J. Ferretti (R) in the special election.

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. Roxanne Persaud was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Jeffrey J. Ferretti was unopposed in the Republican primary. Ferretti also ran on the Conservative Party ticket. Persaud defeated Ferretti in the general election.

New York State Assembly, District 59 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 Alan Maisel (D) defeated Robert Maresca (C) in the general election. Maisel was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Maresca ran unopposed in the Conservative primary.

New York State Assembly, District 59, General Election, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for New York State Assembly District 59 raised a total of $749,591. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $34,072 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, New York State Assembly District 59