State Assembly Member - District 83
Carl E. Heastie
Has represented the 83rd District in the northeast Bronx since 2001, after first winning election in 2000, and has been Speaker of the Assembly since February 2015, the first African American to hold the post.
Issues Carl is raising
Elections, redistricting and the Legislature
Sponsored the 2023 law that set New York's 2024 presidential primary for April 2, 2024 and rules for convention delegates and ballots, and a bill updating the independent redistricting commission whose Senate version passed both houses in June 2026. Also sponsors bills on special-election timing and legislators' pay.
Criminal justice
Supports further reforms to the criminal justice system.
Access to health care
Supports increased access to quality, affordable health care, calling it a right, not a privilege.
Gas company service charges
Sponsors a bill to prohibit gas companies from imposing service charges for the repair, inspection or maintenance of equipment, or for remedying damage to equipment or personal property.
Background
Before joining the Assembly he was a budget analyst in the New York City Comptroller's office; he later chaired the Assembly Labor Committee and, from 2008 to 2015, the Bronx County Democratic Party.
- Member of the Assembly for District 83, in the northeast Bronx, since 2001; first elected in 2000
- 100th Speaker of the New York State Assembly, leading the Assembly majority since Feb. 3, 2015; the first African American to serve as Speaker
- Chair of the Assembly Labor Committee before becoming Speaker
- Chair of the Bronx County Democratic Party, 2008 to 2015
- Budget analyst in the New York City Comptroller's office before joining the Assembly
- Bachelor's degree in applied mathematics and statistics from Stony Brook University; master's degree in business administration, with a concentration in finance, from Baruch College of the City University of New York
- His official Assembly biography says he was the prime sponsor of the Wage Theft Prevention Act before becoming Speaker
- The same biography credits him with leading the Assembly majority in passing the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act in 2021, and says he negotiated a dedicated funding source for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, through congestion pricing, in the 2019-20 state budget
- The biography also credits the Assembly majority under his leadership with passing a nine-day early voting period and the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act in 2019 and legalizing adult-use marijuana for people 21 and older in 2021, and says he authored a law releasing domestic violence victims from their leases when staying would keep them in a dangerous environment
- Won the Nov. 5, 2024 general election over Stephanie Liggio with 88.4% of the vote (30,322 votes) and the Nov. 8, 2022 general election with 92.6% (18,496 votes)
- The June 23, 2026 Democratic primary for this seat was canceled, and he advanced without appearing on the ballot; he is on the Democratic line in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election
Support
No endorsements beyond the Democratic nomination were found as of Sept. 30, 2026.
Money
$382K
raised
Mostly political committees, PACs and unions
Others running for State Assembly Member - District 83