State Assembly Member - District 66
David Siffert
Civil rights lawyer and NYU law professor who teaches about the state Legislature, and the Democratic nominee for this Manhattan seat.
Issues David is raising
Rents, tenant protections and affordable housing
Wants to raise state funding for the Housing Access Voucher Program from $50 million to $500 million, pass the Social Housing Development Authority Act to build more affordable housing, and tax empty residential units with all revenue earmarked for affordable housing. Supports a statewide, fully funded right to a lawyer for anyone facing eviction and commercial rent stabilization for small businesses in New York City.
Immigration enforcement in New York
Wants to pass New York For All to make New York a sanctuary state, and the Access to Representation Act to guarantee a lawyer for anyone in New York facing deportation. Also wants to ban ICE from all state and municipal property without a judicial warrant, and to let New Yorkers sue officials who violate their constitutional rights, including during immigration enforcement.
Government surveillance and personal privacy
Wants to ban biometric surveillance, including facial recognition, gait analysis and voice recognition, and to pass the Health Information Privacy Act. Also supports a three-year moratorium on new data centers.
Regulating artificial intelligence
Wants to build on outgoing Assembly Member Alex Bores's work on artificial intelligence regulation. Argues that because the technology changes so quickly, lawmakers should regulate the impacts and consequences of AI rather than how the technology itself is built.
Taxes on wealth and high earners
Supports passing the Heirs Act to create a tax on inherited wealth in New York, and a tax on empty residential units with all revenue earmarked for affordable housing.
Background
Based in East Village · Age 42
Has served as legal director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project and is the founding executive director of NYU Law's State Government Initiative. Would be New York's first out nonbinary state legislator; uses they/them pronouns.
- Former legal director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a civil rights nonprofit focused on technology and privacy
- Adjunct professor of clinical law at NYU School of Law, teaching about the New York State Legislature, including a legislative externship that pairs students with legislators
- Founding executive director of NYU Law's State Government Initiative
- Previously director of research and projects at the Center on Civil Justice at NYU Law
- Earlier a litigator in private practice and a tax lawyer; clerked for the New York Court of Appeals and for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- Says they have written more than 100 bills for the state Legislature through work at S.T.O.P., NYU and in the community
- The campaign says Siffert sued New York City over the forced removal of religious head coverings in booking photos, leading to a policy change and payments to those affected
- The campaign says Siffert filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting congestion pricing and New York City's foie gras ban, and volunteered with the Dilley Pro Bono Project at the Texas border to help mothers and children in immigration detention
- Served on the Immigrant Leadership Council of the New York Immigration Coalition
- President of the Village Independent Democrats, 2019–2020, and a past treasurer of the club; former board member of the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club
- Has served several times as a judicial delegate for the 66th Assembly District and as a member of the Manhattan Democratic County Committee
- Attended Horace Mann School; B.A., University of Chicago, 2006; J.D., NYU School of Law, 2009
- Born and raised in Manhattan; moved into the district after college to attend law school and said in May 2026 that August would mark 20 years there
- Lives in the East Village with their wife and their young child
- Won the June 23, 2026 Democratic primary after a manual recount, 4,388 votes (27.4 percent) to Jeannine Kiely's 4,373
Support
Jabari Brisport
“David Siffert is a bold leader and progressive champion who has stood strong in the fight for criminal justice reform. I know they'll be a great ally in Albany.”
— State Senator Jabari Brisport
Emily Gallagher
“I've gotten to know David well through their work to stop overreaching surveillance and racist policing. We've worked together for years to try and stop these harmful practices.”
— Assembly Member Emily Gallagher
New York State AFL-CIO
State federation of labor unions in New York
UNITE HERE Local 100
“Working people need leaders who ally with labor, not corporate interests. We are proud to endorse Professor Siffert for election to the state assembly.”
— Jose Maldonado, President, UNITE HERE Local 100
UAW Region 9A
Regional body of the United Auto Workers covering New York City and the Northeast
Money
$183K
raised
Top donors: John Siffert, Goldie Alfasi-Siffert, Steven Bills