The 2020 New York State Senate elections were held on November 3, 2020, to elect representatives from all 63 State Senate districts across the U.S. state of New York. Primary elections were held on June 23, 2020.
Prior to the 2020 elections, Democrats held 40 seats in the State Senate, while Republicans held 20 seats and three other seats were vacant. In 2018, Democrats won their greatest share of New York State Senate seats since 1912.
Senate Democrats increased their majority by three seats, flipping five seats from Republican to Democrat while Republicans flipped two seats from Democrat to Republican. This gave Democrats their largest seat share in history, and they acquired a 2/3 supermajority.
Background
By 2018, the State Senate was the last Republican-controlled body in the New York government. In the 2018 elections, Democrats gained eight Senate seats, taking control of the chamber from the Republicans. Previously, Republicans had controlled the Senate for all but three years since World War II, and the Democrats' largest share of New York State Senate seats since 1912. At the beginning of the 2019-2020 legislative session, the Senate Democratic Conference held 39 of the chamber's 63 seats. In July 2019, Simcha Felder — who had caucused with the Republicans during their time in the majority — was accepted into the Senate Democratic Conference, giving the Conference a total of 40 members.
During the 2019-2020 session, Republican Bob Antonacci resigned his seat to become a trial court judge; also, eight other members of the Senate Republican Conference announced that they would not seek re-election in 2020. In June, one of those eight Senate Republicans, Senate Minority Leader John J. Flanagan, announced that he would resign from the Senate to take another position. On July 20, 2020, Republican Sen. Chris Jacobs stepped down after being elected to the United States House of Representatives.
Before the 2020 elections, Democrats held 40 seats in the State Senate. Republicans held 20 seats, and three other seats were vacant.
Predictions SourceRankingAs of The Cook Political ReportOctober 21, 2020
Results Following the 2020 elections, the New York State Board of Elections noted that county boards of elections "received a historically high number of absentee ballots for the November 3rd 2020 General Election due to the coronavirus pandemic", and added that "unofficial election night results do not include the results of absentee ballot voting". On Election Day, preliminary results showed Republicans leading in most competitive State Senate races. However, absentee ballots trended in favor of the Democrats.
On November 23, 2020, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins asserted that Senate Democrats would enter 2021 with "a supermajority of at least 42 members", giving the party an "unprecedented share" of power in the state Legislature. According to Politico, "the numbers mean that Democratic legislators now have the two-thirds needed in each house to override any vetoes from Gov. Andrew Cuomo without relying on Republican support".
The results of the 2020 Senate elections were certified on December 3, 2020. Democrats won a total of 43 seats, while Republicans won 20. Republican Alexis Weik defeated Democratic incumbent Monica Martinez in the 3rd district, and Republican Mike Martucci defeated Democratic incumbent Jen Metzger in the 42nd district. Democrats Michelle Hinchey, John Mannion, Samra Brouk, Jeremy Cooney, and Sean Ryan won open seats that had previously been held by Republicans.
2020 New York State Senate election results PartyVotes%% +/–SeatsSeats +/–Democratic4,379,04555.96% 0.02%43 3Republican2,661,86934.02% 0.77%200Conservative331,6024.24% 0.14%Working Families308,0133.94% 1.46%Independence108,1391.38% 1.31%Libertarian20,8600.27% 0.27%SAM4,6500.06% 0.06%Green3,1110.04% 0.14% Total votes7,824,767100.00% Registered voters/turnout13,555,54757.72%
By district Bold represents a flip and italics represent a new senator of the same party. DistrictIncumbent PartyElected Senator Party 1 Kenneth LaValle Rep Anthony Palumbo Rep 2 (Vacant) Rep Mario Mattera Rep 3 Monica Martinez Dem Alexis Weik Rep 4 Phil Boyle Rep Phil Boyle Rep 5 Jim Gaughran Dem Jim Gaughran Dem 6 Kevin Thomas Dem Kevin Thomas Dem 7 Anna Kaplan Dem Anna Kaplan Dem 8 John Brooks Dem John Brooks Dem 9 Todd Kaminsky Dem Todd Kaminsky Dem 10 James Sanders Jr. Dem James Sanders Jr. Dem 11 John Liu Dem John Liu Dem 12 Michael Gianaris Dem Michael Gianaris Dem 13 Jessica Ramos Dem Jessica Ramos Dem 14 Leroy Comrie Dem Leroy Comrie Dem 15 Joseph Addabbo Jr. Dem Joseph Addabbo Jr. Dem 16 Toby Ann Stavisky Dem Toby Ann Stavisky Dem 17 Simcha Felder Dem Simcha Felder Dem 18 Julia Salazar Dem Julia Salazar Dem 19 Roxanne Persaud Dem Roxanne Persaud Dem 20 Zellnor Myrie Dem Zellnor Myrie Dem 21 Kevin Parker Dem Kevin Parker Dem 22 Andrew Gounardes Dem Andrew Gounardes Dem 23 Diane Savino Dem Diane Savino Dem 24 Andrew Lanza Rep Andrew Lanza Rep 25 Velmanette Montgomery Dem Jabari Brisport Dem 26 Brian P. Kavanagh Dem Brian P. Kavanagh Dem 27 Brad Hoylman Dem Brad Hoylman Dem 28 Liz Krueger Dem Liz Krueger Dem 29 Jose M. Serrano Dem Jose M. Serrano Dem 30 Brian Benjamin Dem Brian Benjamin Dem 31 Robert Jackson Dem Robert Jackson Dem 32 Luis R. Sepúlveda Dem Luis R. Sepúlveda Dem 33 Gustavo Rivera Dem Gustavo Rivera Dem 34 Alessandra Biaggi Dem Alessandra Biaggi Dem 35 Andrea Stewart-Cousins Dem Andrea Stewart-Cousins Dem 36 Jamaal Bailey Dem Jamaal Bailey Dem 37 Shelley Mayer Dem Shelley Mayer Dem 38 David Carlucci Dem Elijah Reichlin-Melnick Dem 39 James Skoufis Dem James Skoufis Dem 40 Peter Harckham Dem Peter Harckham Dem 41 Sue Serino Rep Sue Serino Rep 42 Jen Metzger Dem Mike Martucci Rep 43 Daphne Jordan Rep Daphne Jordan Rep 44 Neil Breslin Dem Neil Breslin Dem 45 Betty Little Rep Dan Stec Rep 46 George A. Amedore Jr. Rep Michelle Hinchey Dem 47 Joseph Griffo Rep Joseph Griffo Rep 48 Patty Ritchie Rep Patty Ritchie Rep 49 Jim Tedisco Rep Jim Tedisco Rep 50 (Vacant) Rep John Mannion Dem 51 James Seward Rep Peter Oberacker Rep 52 Fred Akshar Rep Fred Akshar Rep 53 Rachel May Dem Rachel May Dem 54 Pam Helming Rep Pam Helming Rep 55 Richard Funke Rep Samra Brouk Dem 56 Joseph Robach Rep Jeremy Cooney Dem 57 George Borrello Rep George Borrello Rep 58 Tom O'Mara Rep Tom O'Mara Rep 59 Patrick Gallivan Rep Patrick Gallivan Rep 60 (Vacant) Rep Sean Ryan Dem 61 Michael Ranzenhofer Rep Edward Rath III Rep 62 Robert Ortt Rep Robert Ortt Rep 63 Timothy Kennedy Dem Timothy Kennedy Dem
Close races Districts where the margin of victory was under 10%:
Detailed results District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 • District 41 • District 42 • District 43 • District 44 • District 45 • District 46 • District 47 • District 48 • District 49 • District 50 • District 51 • District 52 • District 53 • District 54 • District 55 • District 56 • District 57 • District 58 • District 59 • District 60 • District 61 • District 62 • District 63__NOTOC__
District 1 Democratic primary
General election
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6 Libertarian primary
General election
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12 Democratic primary
General election
District 13 Democratic primary
General election
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
District 18 Democratic primary
General election
District 19 Democratic primary
General election
District 20
District 21
District 22
District 23 Democratic primary
General election
District 24
District 25 Democratic primary
General election
District 26
District 27 Democratic primary
General election
District 28
District 29
District 30
District 31 Democratic primary
General election
District 32 Democratic primary
General election
District 33
District 34 Democratic primary
General election
District 35
District 36
District 37
District 38 Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
District 39
District 40
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
District 48
District 49 Democratic primary
General election
District 50
District 51
District 52
District 53
District 54
District 55
District 56 Democratic primary
General election
District 57
District 58
District 59
District 60
District 61 Democratic primary
Independence primary
General election
District 62
District 63
See also 2020 New York state elections
Notes
References
External links
(state affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)