New York County, New York

New York Assembly District 65

2 candidates are tracked for New York Assembly District 65 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Illapa Sairitupac and Helen Qiu. Candidate information follows official New York County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Illapa Sairitupac (Democratic), Helen Qiu (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for New York Assembly District 65. Not on the November ballot: Grace Lee, the sitting member per the roster. Party nominees were chosen at the June 23 primary or by party designation; independent bodies qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' amended certification for the general election (September 4, 2026); under fusion voting one person may appear on several ballot lines. This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot.

New York › New York County › New York Assembly District 65

Illapa Sairitupac

Democratic

Top priorities

Fund housing, healthcare and universal childcare through taxes on the wealthy
Defend immigrants from ICE enforcement and support New York for All legislation
Create a Social Housing Development Authority for union-built affordable housing

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Illapa Sairitupac is a tenant organizer and housing organizer in Downtown Manhattan, per their campaign site. They hold a Master of Social Work from the NYU Silver School of Social Work and are endorsed by the New York City Democratic Socialists of America in the race for the 65th Assembly District, which covers Chinatown, the Financial District and the Lower East Side.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Helen Qiu

Republican

Biography

Helen Qiu is a pastor with a professional background as a Silicon Valley engineering manager and a Columbia University vice president, per her campaign social media account. This is her second run for the 65th Assembly District. No campaign website was found as of 2026-09-09.

Next on your ballotNew York Assembly District 66

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Questions about this race

Who is running for New York Assembly District 65 in 2026?

When is the New York Assembly District 65 election in New York?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for New York are on the New York election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact New York County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official New York County and state election office filings, last verified October 1, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official New York election office, or see the full New York County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

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Also on your ballot

New York Assembly District 67 New York Assembly District 68 New York Assembly District 69 See all 30 New York County races

Candidate profiles

Illapa Sairitupac, full profile Helen Qiu, full profile Official New York election office