NY State Assembly · District 65

Lower Manhattan, including the Lower East Side, Chinatown, the Financial District, Battery Park City and part of the East Village.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED

Illapa Sairitupac, projected winner

As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. Wikipedia ↗NYC Board of Elections (unofficial election night results) ↗

Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research

Open seat: incumbent Grace Lee is not seeking re-election. Illapa Sairitupac won a six-way June 23, 2026 Democratic primary with 36.5% of the vote, defeating Jasmin Sanchez, Wei-Li Tjong, Jacky Wong, Mariama James and Lilah Mejia. Helen Qiu advanced from the Republican primary unopposed; she previously ran for this seat in 2022 (losing to Lee 76%-23.7%) and for New York City Council District 1 in 2025 (losing to Christopher Marte 71.6%-28%).[1][3]

On the November 3 ballot · 2 candidates

Illapa SairitupacDPROJECTED WINNERFull profile →Helen QiuRFull profile →

Issue evidence — side by side

Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.

Expand immigration enforcement and deportations

Illapa Sairitupac
Opposes[2]
Opposes cooperation between state/local government and ICE and supports the New York for All Act; has led Know Your Rights trainings and anti-ICE organizing.
Helen Qiu
—

Stronger rent regulation and tenant protections

Illapa Sairitupac
Supports[2]
Supports rent-stabilization protections and the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, and has organized tenant associations against displacement.
Helen Qiu
—

Raise taxes on high earners or corporations

Illapa Sairitupac
Supports[2]
Supports a more progressive state income tax and a new state heirs tax on large inheritances.
Helen Qiu
—

Expand public health coverage

Illapa Sairitupac
Supports[2]
Supports universal healthcare and has advocated for the New York Health Act, which would guarantee coverage regardless of income or immigration status.
Helen Qiu
—

Faster transition away from fossil fuels

Illapa Sairitupac
Supports[2]
Supports a faster transition to renewable energy, citing New York's low share of wind and solar power and his own organizing and arrest in support of the Build Public Renewables Act.
Helen Qiu
—

Increase police funding and staffing

Illapa Sairitupac
—
Helen Qiu
In their own words[4]
“Repeal Cashless Bail reform, improve prison conditions, fund NYPD”
2022 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (her Assembly campaign that year), under public safety

Keep congestion pricing in Manhattan

Illapa Sairitupac
—
Helen Qiu
Opposes[4]
In a 2022 Ballotpedia survey, opposed congestion pricing, listing it among taxes she would stop.

Universal, publicly funded child care

Illapa Sairitupac
Supports[2]
Lists universal childcare among the causes he organizes for and would pursue in office.
Helen Qiu
—

ISSUE	Illapa Sairitupac D	Helen Qiu R
Expand immigration enforcement and deportations	Opposes[2] Opposes cooperation between state/local government and ICE and supports the New York for All Act; has led Know Your Rights trainings and anti-ICE organizing.	—
Stronger rent regulation and tenant protections	Supports[2] Supports rent-stabilization protections and the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, and has organized tenant associations against displacement.	—
Raise taxes on high earners or corporations	Supports[2] Supports a more progressive state income tax and a new state heirs tax on large inheritances.	—
Expand public health coverage	Supports[2] Supports universal healthcare and has advocated for the New York Health Act, which would guarantee coverage regardless of income or immigration status.	—
Faster transition away from fossil fuels	Supports[2] Supports a faster transition to renewable energy, citing New York's low share of wind and solar power and his own organizing and arrest in support of the Build Public Renewables Act.	—
Increase police funding and staffing	—	In their own words[4] “Repeal Cashless Bail reform, improve prison conditions, fund NYPD” 2022 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (her Assembly campaign that year), under public safety
Keep congestion pricing in Manhattan	—	Opposes[4] In a 2022 Ballotpedia survey, opposed congestion pricing, listing it among taxes she would stop.
Universal, publicly funded child care	Supports[2] Lists universal childcare among the causes he organizes for and would pursue in office.	—

Research notes & limits

Neither candidate has held elected office, so neither has an official voting/bill record. Sairitupac's positions come from his own 2026 Ballotpedia survey; Qiu's most recent available candidate statement is her 2022 survey (she has not completed the Candidate Connection survey since). Ballotpedia shows no 2026 survey; no 2026 campaign website or news statements found; statements added are from 2022. Biographical details for Qiu beyond Ballotpedia come from her own campaign website and are self-described; Sairitupac's birthplace and year of birth were not found in the sources reviewed.

Sources · 13

Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.

1.New York State Assembly District 65 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
2.Illapa Sairitupac · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
3.Helen Qiu · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
4.Helen Qiu — 2022 Candidate Connection survey · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2022-04-20 Candidate's own words
5.Illapa Sairitupac · Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey · 2026-09-25 Candidate's own words
6.Illapa Sairitupac preps second run for lower Manhattan Assembly seat · City & State New York · 2026-02-23 News report
7.Illapa Sairitupac looks to carry activism background to Albany · Politics NY (excerpt of Gay City News) · 2022-06-21 News report
8.2026 New York State Assembly election · Wikipedia · 2026-11-09 Reference
9.New York State Assembly election results 2026 (unofficial election night results) · NYC Board of Elections · 2026-11-03 Official record
10.Helen Qiu · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
11.Helen4NYC campaign website · Helen Qiu campaign · 2026-10-21 Candidate's own words
12.NY State Assembly · District 65 results 2026 · Wikipedia · 2026-11-09 Reference
13.NY State Assembly · District 65 results 2026 · NYC Board of Elections (unofficial election night results) Official record