State

State Senator, 43rd District

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: A state senator votes on New York laws and the state budget and confirms the Governor's appointments.

Covers Rensselaer County, part of Albany County and part of Washington County.

Candidates Compare by issue

Devin R. Lander

Democratic, Working Families

New York State Historian

The gist

Supports full funding for public schools and trade training.
Pledges to push long-needed upstate infrastructure upgrades.
Supports continuing state green energy incentives.
Supports writing Voting Rights Act protections into state law.

More about Devin

View sources (1)

Supports full funding for public schools and trade training.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Senate District 43 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund (answers written by the candidates) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“It starts with ensuring that our public schools are fully funded.”
Pledges to push long-needed upstate infrastructure upgrades.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Senate District 43 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund (answers written by the candidates) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“I will work to ensure that long needed infrastructure improvements happen so that Upstate residents can thrive.”
Supports continuing state green energy incentives.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Senate District 43 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund (answers written by the candidates) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“green energy incentives help to level the playing field against a heavily subsidized fossil fuel industry”
Supports writing Voting Rights Act protections into state law.
VOTE411 Voter Guide: New York Senate District 43 (candidate questionnaire)
Candidate questionnaire · League of Women Voters Education Fund (answers written by the candidates) · onyourballot.vote411.org
“New York State must move to ensure that it strengthens these protections and completely codifies them into state law.”

Jake Ashby

Republican, ConservativeIncumbent

State Senator

The gist

Opposes raising taxes to spur prosperity.
Wrote a bill on carcinogens in drinking water.In office
Proposed measures on retail crime and regulating AI.In office
Voted against the Medical Aid in Dying Act (2025).In office
Voted against the 2026 redistricting constitutional amendment.In office
Voted for the Democracy Preservation Act on election spending.In office

In office = from the candidate's own official statements or legislation as an officeholder, not their campaign.

More about Jake

View sources (5)

Opposes raising taxes to spur prosperity.
Jake Ashby | Ashby for NYS Senate
Campaign website · jake-ashby.com
“We cannot tax ourselves into prosperity”
Wrote a bill on carcinogens in drinking water.
About Jacob Ashby (senator biography)
Government record · New York State Senate · nysenate.gov
“After he authored a bill protecting New Yorkers from carcinogenic contaminants in drinking water, state officials adopted his more stringent safety standards.”
Proposed measures on retail crime and regulating AI.
About Jacob Ashby (senator biography)
Government record · New York State Senate · nysenate.gov
“His proposals to spark housing development, crack down on retail crime, regulate AI and address our healthcare workforce shortage”
Voted against the Medical Aid in Dying Act (2025).
S138 (2025-26), Medical Aid in Dying Act: bill page and roll calls
Government record · New York State Senate · nysenate.gov
“Relates to the medical aid in dying act”
Voted against the 2026 redistricting constitutional amendment.
S10637A (2025-26), constitutional amendment on the Independent Redistricting Commission: bill page and roll call
Government record · New York State Senate · nysenate.gov
“Updates provisions relating to the independent redistricting commission”
Voted for the Democracy Preservation Act on election spending.
S324 (2025-26), Democracy Preservation Act: bill page and roll calls
Government record · New York State Senate · nysenate.gov
“Enacts the democracy preservation act”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 7 issues covered in this race.