The Full Record

NY State Assembly · District 86

West Bronx, including University Heights, Morris Heights, Mount Eden, Kingsbridge, Tremont and Fordham.

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

✓ Fact-checked 2026-09-25: 24 claims re-checked against their sources · 0 corrected · 2 removed

A second, independent research pass re-opened every cited source for this race and corrected or removed anything the source didn’t support.

  • Removed Yudelka Tapia's 'housing_supply' position (supports loosening zoning to build more housing): her cited source only discusses building subsidized affordable housing and reforming the 421-a tax program, not zoning, so the stance was an unsupported inference relative to the issue statement.
  • Removed Yudelka Tapia's 'police_funding' position (opposes increasing police funding/staffing), which inferred a funding-level stance from a general campaign-bio line about 'an end to racist policing' that does not address funding or staffing directly.
  • Removed now-unused source s5 after the police_funding position citing it was removed.
  • All other facts checked (June 23, 2026 Republican primary result 57.5%-111 votes to 35.8%-69 votes for Maria Diaz over Shery Olivo; ballot slate of Tapia/Diaz/Olivo; candidate biographies, education, committee assignments, priorities, and quotes) verified verbatim against Ballotpedia, nyassembly.gov, and the candidates' campaign sites.

On the ballot · 3 candidates

Yudelka TapiaDINCUMBENTAssembly Member, District 86 (since 2021)Maria DiazRShery OlivoC

Where they stand — side by side

Only positions documented in a cited source are shown. Where an officeholder’s recorded votes speak to an issue, the votes set the position (marked “votes”). A dash means we found no clear public position — not that the candidate has none.

ISSUEYudelka Tapia
D
Maria Diaz
R
Shery Olivo
C
Stricter gun lawsSupports[8]votes——
Stronger rent regulation and tenant protectionsSupports[4]——
Increase police funding and staffing——Supports[7]

The candidates, in full

Yudelka Tapia

DINCUMBENTAssembly Member, District 86 (since 2021)

Yudelka Tapia is the Democratic nominee for re-election in NY Assembly District 86, a West Bronx seat she has held since November 2021. A former New York City Comptroller's office auditor and union leader, she serves on the Banks, Corporations, Economic Development, Housing, Labor and Mental Health committees.[2][3]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Floor votes in Albany

  • YesProvides that a microbusiness licensee authorized to conduct retail sales may serve as a processor and cultivator for purposes of cannabis showcase event permits · S10113 · Passed Assembly 88–53 · 2026-06-05 official record ↗Provides that a microbusiness licensee authorized to conduct retail sales may serve as a processor and cultivator for purposes of cannabis showcase event permits.
  • YesRelates to granting employees access to personnel records · S3460 · Passed Assembly 92–49 · 2026-05-19 official record ↗Grants employees access to personnel records; requires notice of negative information in such records and an opportunity for a review; permits employee to include certain information in personnel records.
  • YesConcealed Carry Improvement Act · S51001 · Passed 90–52 · 2022-07-01 official record ↗Enacted after the Bruen decision: added training and character requirements for carry permits and barred guns in designated sensitive places.

Votes on landmark laws since 2019, plus 2026 roll calls where at least five members voted on the losing side — read from the legislature’s official records.

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsStronger rent regulation and tenant protections

    Says she will fight to stop evictions, build upon the state's rent regulations, hold bad landlords accountable, and protect tenants from discrimination and harassment.[4]

  • SupportsStricter gun lawsFrom recorded votes

    Voted yes on S51001 (Concealed Carry Improvement Act, 2022-07-01): Enacted after the Bruen decision: added training and character requirements for carry permits and barred guns in designated sensitive places.[8]

In their words — priorities

  • A just recovery from COVID-19 that uplifts working families, communities of color and immigrants, including support for small businesses.[4]
  • Preserving and expanding affordable housing, including building 100% sustainable permanent affordable housing and reforming the 421-a tax program.[4]
  • Protecting tenants by stopping evictions, building on the state's rent regulations, and holding bad landlords accountable.[4]
  • Fighting for NYCHA residents through major infrastructural investment without privatization.[4]

Background

  • Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; immigrated to the West Bronx more than 30 years ago and raised four sons there in New York City public schools.[2][3]
  • Attended O&M University in Santo Domingo, where she organized fellow students against domestic violence and political corruption and served as president of the Unión Democrática de Mujeres.[3]
  • Earned a Master of Science in Urban Policy and Leadership from Hunter College.[2][3]
  • Worked for 23 years as a Senior Auditor for the New York City Comptroller's Office.[2][3]
  • Served as PTA President at Roosevelt High School and as an executive committee member for the local 1407-DC 37 union.[3]
Campaign website ↗Shareable profile page

Maria Diaz

R

Maria Diaz is the Republican nominee for NY Assembly District 86, having defeated Shery Olivo in the June 23, 2026 Republican primary. She has not previously held elected office.[5]

Little public record found for this candidate.

Shareable profile page

Shery Olivo

C

Shery Olivo is the Conservative Party nominee for NY Assembly District 86, after losing the Republican primary to Maria Diaz. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the Bronx, she is a mother of two and entrepreneur running on public safety, education and small-business themes.[6][7]

Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.

Positions on the issues

  • SupportsIncrease police funding and staffing

    Lists holding repeat violent offenders accountable and strengthening public safety among her core campaign priorities.[7]

In their words — priorities

  • Education and youth empowerment: expanding access to quality schools, literacy initiatives and mentorship programs.[7]
  • Economic growth and opportunity: supporting small businesses and creating pathways to good-paying jobs.[7]
  • Public safety and youth support: holding repeat violent offenders accountable and investing in youth programs.[7]

Background

  • Earned a high school diploma from Morris High School and an associate degree from Monroe College in 2010.[6]
  • Career experience includes working as an entrepreneur.[6]
  • Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in the Bronx; describes her campaign as motivated in part by the death of her nephew, Juan Peña.[7]
Campaign website ↗Shareable profile page

Research notes & limits

Both Diaz and Olivo advanced to the general election because Diaz won the Republican primary while Olivo held a separate, uncontested Conservative Party line. Diaz has essentially no public footprint beyond her primary win; no website, biography or statements were found for her. None of the three candidates has completed a 2026 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Sources · 8

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

  1. 1.New York State Assembly District 86 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  2. 2.Yudelka Tapia · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  3. 3.Yudelka Tapia - Assembly District 86 · New York State Assembly · 2026-09-25 Official record
  4. 4.Issues · Yudelka Tapia for the Bronx Candidate's own words
  5. 5.Maria Diaz (New York) · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  6. 6.Shery Olivo · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
  7. 7.Shery Olivo for New York State Assembly District 86 · Shery Olivo for NY Candidate's own words
  8. 8.Assembly floor vote: S51001 — Concealed Carry Improvement Act · New York State Assembly · 2022-07-01 Official record