General Election
NY Assembly · Assembly District 87
Primary rival Choudhury, now on the People First line, faces Reyes again
Karines Reyes, first elected in 2018, beat Zakir Choudhury 71.6% to 28.1% in the June 23 Democratic primary; he is now on the People First line. Zenobia Merced-Bonilla, who ran for City Council in 2025, is on the Conservative line.
Issues
6 issues · 2 candidates · every claim sourced
Health care costs, coverage and medical decisions
Central to the raceThe Medical Aid in Dying Act became state law in February 2026. At issue is what else the state does to lower health care and prescription drug costs and widen access to care.
Zakir Choudhury
Supports lowering prescription drug costs and expanding access to child care and maternal health care.
Zakir Choudhury campaign website — About ↗
Karines Reyes
In coverageCo-sponsored and voted for the Medical Aid in Dying Act, signed in February 2026, and voted for a law on requirements for providing medication for medical aid in dying. Sponsored laws on prescription labels for mifepristone and misoprostol (2025), extending provisions expanding the child health insurance plan and on mercury in cosmetics (2023). Prime-sponsors a bill creating an abortion access fund.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Sponsored A5285 (2025-26 session), on prescription labels for mifepristone and misoprostol, and voted yes on March 5, 2025; it was signed as Chapter 108 on March 20, 2025. Sponsored A619 (2023-24 session), on the sale of cosmetic products containing trace amounts of mercury, and voted yes on Feb. 8, 2023; it was signed as Chapter 15 on March 3, 2023. Sponsored A7425 (2023-24 session), extending provisions expanding the child health insurance plan until 2025, and voted yes on June 6, 2023; it passed the Senate on June 7 and was signed as Chapter 165 on June 30, 2023. Co-sponsored A136 (2025-26 session), the Medical Aid in Dying Act, and voted yes on April 29, 2025; it was signed as Chapter 714 on Feb. 6, 2026. Voted yes on A9515, on requirements for providing medication for medical aid in dying, on Feb. 4, 2026; it passed the Assembly 83-62 with 5 excused and was signed as Chapter 1 on Feb. 6, 2026.
Sponsor of A5285, A619 and A7425 and voted yes on each; co-sponsor of A136 and voted yes; voted yes on A9515 · 2023-02-08 to 2026-02-04 · A5285 signed as Chapter 108 on March 20, 2025; A619 signed as Chapter 15 on March 3, 2023; A7425 signed as Chapter 165 on June 30, 2023; A136 signed as Chapter 714 on Feb. 6, 2026; A9515 signed as Chapter 1 on Feb. 6, 2026
No public position yet from Merced-Bonilla
Policing and public safety
Central to the racePolicing rules and criminal law are set by state law, and a bill that passes both houses can still be vetoed by the governor, as a 2025 bill on police radio was. At issue is how much the state invests in prevention and community-based programs and how open it makes police operations to the public.
Zakir Choudhury
Supports expanding community-based policing to strengthen neighborhood relationships, violence-interruption and prevention programs for at-risk youth, and investment in mental-health response teams and crisis intervention services.
Zakir Choudhury campaign website — About ↗Karines Reyes
In coverageSponsored the Keep Police Radio Public Act, which passed the Assembly 84-61 and the Senate in June 2025 and was vetoed by the governor that December, and prime-sponsors a police radio transparency act. Sponsored a 2026 law requiring regulations on training for certain child protective services workers.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Sponsored A3516 (2025-26 session), the Keep Police Radio Public Act, and voted yes on June 5, 2025; it passed the Assembly 84-61 with 5 excused and the Senate the same day, and the governor vetoed it on Dec. 19, 2025. Sponsored A9492 (2025-26 session), requiring regulations for training requirements for certain child protective services workers, and voted yes on Jan. 20, 2026; it was signed as Chapter 30 on Feb. 13, 2026.
Sponsor of A3516 and A9492 and voted yes on both · 2025-06-05 to 2026-01-20 · A3516 vetoed by the governor on Dec. 19, 2025; A9492 signed as Chapter 30 on Feb. 13, 2026
No public position yet from Merced-Bonilla
Wages and workplace protections
Central to the raceState law sets workplace rules, such as the 2024 requirement that retail employers have programs to prevent workplace violence. At issue is how far the state goes in adding worker protections and pay rules.
Zakir Choudhury
Supports enforcing equal pay and workplace protections, and backs union jobs and fair wages.
Zakir Choudhury campaign website — About ↗Karines Reyes
In coverageSponsored the Retail Worker Safety Act, signed in September 2024, which requires retail employers to develop and carry out programs to prevent workplace violence, and a 2025 law on model management companies and model management groups.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Sponsored A8947 (2023-24 session), the Retail Worker Safety Act, and voted yes on June 3, 2024; it passed the Assembly that day and the Senate on June 7, 2024, and was signed into law on Sept. 5, 2024. Sponsored A2249 (2025-26 session), on model management companies and model management groups, and voted yes on Feb. 4, 2025; it was signed as Chapter 66 on Feb. 14, 2025.
Sponsor of A8947 and A2249 and voted yes on both · 2024-06-03 to 2025-02-04 · A8947 signed into law on Sept. 5, 2024; A2249 signed as Chapter 66 on Feb. 14, 2025
No public position yet from Merced-Bonilla
State budget, spending and business rules
Also in playThe Assembly votes each year on the state budget and on the rules businesses must follow; the bill carrying out major parts of the 2026-27 budget became law in May 2026, and a 2026 law addressed the attorney general's ability to act against unfair, deceptive and abusive business practices. At issue is how the state spends and how tightly it regulates businesses.
Zakir Choudhury
Supports responsible budgeting, greater transparency in state spending and cutting government inefficiency. Wants to reduce regulatory burdens on businesses where appropriate and connect families to workforce development programs.
Zakir Choudhury campaign website — Vision for Change ↗Karines Reyes
In coverageVoted for the aid-to-localities budget bill in April 2024 and for the bill carrying out major parts of the 2026-27 state budget in May 2026, which passed the Assembly 91-55 and 91-52. Voted for a 2026 law on the attorney general's ability to protect New Yorkers from unfair, deceptive and abusive business practices.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Voted yes on A8803, the aid to localities budget bill, on April 19, 2024; it passed the Assembly 91-55 and was signed as Chapter 53 on May 1, 2024. Voted yes on S9009, enacting major components of legislation needed to implement the state fiscal plan for the 2026-27 fiscal year, on May 27, 2026; it passed the Assembly 91-52 with 7 excused and was signed as Chapter 59 on May 28, 2026. Voted yes on S8811, on the attorney general's ability to protect New Yorkers from unfair, deceptive and abusive business practices, on Feb. 25, 2026; it was signed as Chapter 94 on March 27, 2026.
Voted yes on A8803, S9009 and S8811 · 2024-04-19 to 2026-05-27 · A8803 signed as Chapter 53 on May 1, 2024; S9009 signed as Chapter 59 on May 28, 2026; S8811 signed as Chapter 94 on March 27, 2026
No public position yet from Merced-Bonilla
Energy costs and climate
Also in playA 2024 law created a climate change adaptation cost recovery program and fund, and a 2026 law addressed state rules on providing gas service to new customers. At issue is how the state weighs climate goals against energy bills and grid reliability.
Zakir Choudhury
Wants to address rising energy and utility costs with measures that lower bills and strengthen grid reliability.
Branch voter guide — Zakir Choudhury platform ↗Karines Reyes
In coverageVoted for laws creating a climate change adaptation cost recovery program and fund and requiring electric-vehicle charging stations and EV-ready parking in certain new construction, both signed in December 2024, and for a 2026 law on state rules for providing gas service to new customers.
✓ Track record — what they've actually done
Voted yes on S2129, establishing the climate change adaptation cost recovery program and the climate change adaptation fund, on June 8, 2024; it was signed as Chapter 679 of the Laws of 2024 on Dec. 26, 2024. Voted yes on S1736, requiring electric vehicle charging stations and electric vehicle ready parking spaces in certain new construction, on June 5, 2024; it was signed as Chapter 643 on Dec. 21, 2024. Voted yes on S8812, on the effectiveness of provisions of law relating to gas service to new customers, on March 31, 2026; it was signed as Chapter 101 on April 10, 2026.
Voted yes on S2129, S1736 and S8812 · 2024-06-05 to 2026-03-31 · S2129 signed as Chapter 679 of the Laws of 2024 on Dec. 26, 2024; S1736 signed as Chapter 643 on Dec. 21, 2024; S8812 signed as Chapter 101 on April 10, 2026
No public position yet from Merced-Bonilla
Schools and public colleges
Also in playZakir Choudhury
Supports fair funding for District 87 schools, more after-school and youth development programs, and support for teachers and classroom resources.
Zakir Choudhury campaign website — Vision for Change ↗Karines Reyes
In coveragePrime-sponsors a bill to enact the New Deal for CUNY.
New York State Assembly — Karines Reyes sponsored legislation ↗No public position yet from Merced-Bonilla