General Election
NY Assembly · Assembly District 47
A longtime Assembly incumbent's record against a school-council leader's safety focus
Democrat William Colton has held the seat since 1997 and won in 2024 with 60.5% of the vote. Republican John J. Ricottone, a retired police officer and president of Community Education Council District 20, also runs on the Conservative and Stop Mamdani lines.
Issues
4 issues · 2 candidates · every claim sourced
Schools, gifted programs and school safety
Central to the raceState law can direct New York City's Education Department on programs such as gifted and talented classes.
William Colton
In coverageWants to expand gifted classes admitted by merit and to keep the specialized high schools and their admissions test, the SHSAT. Sponsors a bill requiring New York City's Education Department to create more gifted and talented programs, and sponsored the 2023 law making Asian Lunar New Year a school holiday.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Prime sponsor of A1881, requiring the New York City Department of Education to create more gifted and talented programs and classes; referred to the Assembly Education Committee on Jan. 7, 2026. Sponsored A7768, declaring Asian Lunar New Year a school holiday, and voted yes on June 10, 2023; signed into law as Chapter 359 on Sept. 9, 2023.
Prime sponsor of A1881; sponsor of A7768, voted yes · 2023-06-10 to 2026-01-07 · A1881 referred to the Assembly Education Committee on Jan. 7, 2026; A7768 signed into law as Chapter 359 on Sept. 9, 2023
John J. Ricottone
In coverageCredited by a local blog post backing his run with helping PS 164 get funding and helping organize a helmet giveaway for PS 247 as a Community Education Council District 20 leader; the post says he and other council members led a protest against state cuts to after-school program funding.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
A local blog post backing his run says that, as a Community Education Council District 20 member, he helped PS 164 obtain funding, helped organize a helmet giveaway for PS 247, and with other council members led a protest against New York State cuts to after-school program funding.
Community Education Council District 20 member, as vice president and then president · Before March 2, 2026 · Dates and outcomes not stated in the source
Public safety and criminal justice
Central to the raceState law decides which charges let a judge set bail, the rules for certificates of relief from disabilities (issued by a court or the state corrections department, they lift some legal barriers for people with criminal convictions), and whether police radio stays open to the public; the Legislature writes those rules and the governor can sign or veto them, as with a police radio bill vetoed in December 2025.
William Colton
In coverageSponsored a bill letting judges set bail or order jail before trial for people charged with hate crimes. Voted against the Keep Police Radio Public Act in 2025, which the governor vetoed, and against a 2024 bill, which became law, on certificates of relief from disabilities (which lift some legal barriers for people with criminal convictions).
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Sponsored A1789 (2023-24 session), adding hate crimes to the offenses for which a court may fix bail or commit a defendant to the sheriff's custody; in the Assembly Codes Committee as of Jan. 3, 2024, its latest recorded action. Voted no on A3516, the Keep Police Radio Public Act, on June 5, 2025; the governor vetoed it on Dec. 19, 2025. Voted no on A7194, on certificates of relief from disabilities, on May 16, 2024; signed into law as Chapter 620 on Dec. 21, 2024.
Sponsor of A1789; voted no on A3516 and A7194 · 2024-01-03 to 2025-06-05 · A1789 in the Assembly Codes Committee as of Jan. 3, 2024; A3516 vetoed Dec. 19, 2025; A7194 signed into law as Chapter 620 on Dec. 21, 2024
John J. Ricottone
In coverageNames safety as one of his top three priorities, with lower prices and taxes and cleaner streets. As president of Community Education Council District 20, wrote a 2026 resolution to give teachers and staff silent panic buttons after parents raised concerns about lockdown drills, a local blog post reports.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Wrote a Community Education Council District 20 resolution in 2026 to equip teachers and staff with a silent panic button, according to a local blog post backing his run.
Author of the resolution, as president of Community Education Council District 20 · 2026 · Whether the council adopted the resolution was not found
Voting access and redistricting
Also in playVoting access and congressional redistricting after the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais decision are election questions both candidates addressed.
John J. Ricottone
Opposes redrawing New York's congressional map for 2026, saying the Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais changed the federal legal landscape but gives no good reason for an emergency remap.
VOTE411 Voter Guide (League of Women Voters) — John Ricottone's answers ↗William Colton
In coverageSupports expanding early voting sites and hours in New York. Voted against a 2025 bill on how city charter revision proposals go to voters, which the governor vetoed.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Voted no on A3665, which repeals provisions on city charter commission proposals that limit the submission of questions to a city's voters, on June 10, 2025; the governor vetoed it on Dec. 5, 2025.
Voted no · 2025-06-10 · Vetoed by the governor on Dec. 5, 2025
State budget and taxes
Also in playThe Legislature passes the state budget each year, including aid to local governments, and writes the state's income tax deductions.
John J. Ricottone
Lists lower prices and taxes among his top three priorities, along with safety and cleaner streets.
VOTE411 Voter Guide (League of Women Voters) — John Ricottone's answers ↗William Colton
In coverageVoted for state budget bills in 2024 and 2026. Sponsors a bill giving K-12 public and private school teachers a state income tax deduction of up to $500 a year for school supplies they pay for themselves.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Voted yes on A8803, the Aid to Localities budget bill, on April 19, 2024; signed into law as Chapter 53 on May 1, 2024. Voted yes on S9009, which enacts major parts of the 2026-27 state budget, on May 27, 2026; it passed the Assembly 91-52 and was signed into law as Chapter 59 on May 28, 2026.
Voted yes on A8803 and S9009 · 2024-04-19 to 2026-05-27 · A8803 signed into law as Chapter 53 on May 1, 2024; S9009 signed into law as Chapter 59 on May 28, 2026