NY State Senate · District 16
John Liu
NY State Senator, District 16 (since 2023; previously District 11, 2019–2023)DWFPINCUMBENT
- Race
- NY State Senate · District 16
- Result
- John Liu, projected winner
- Opponents
- Unopposed
- Research
- In depth
Party line32 votes tracked
24With Democrats
1Against
0Didn't vote
Broke with Democrats on
With party = voted the same way as most Democrats who voted.
Said vs. did1 statement · 32 votes
It is entirely fair and appropriate to ask the highest income people, who just got a 2.6 percent tax cut from Donald Trump, to support a 2 percent increase
Raise taxes on high earners or corporations
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotNY State Senate · 16
2026-11-03
| John Liu DWFP | incumbent |
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
Issue
What they said
How they voted
Raise taxes on high earners or corporationsSupports
It is entirely fair and appropriate to ask the highest income people, who just got a 2.6 percent tax cut from Donald Trump, to support a 2 percent increase
In November 2025 introduced, with Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest, the Fair Share Act, a 2% New York City surcharge on income above $1 million.[5]
- YESS2509-C (2021–22 Budget Revenue Bill (raised taxes on income over $1M and corporate franchise tax), 2021-04-06): Raised personal income tax rates on incomes above $1 million and raised the corporate franchise tax rate on large businesses, among other revenue measures.[6]
1 of 1 vote point the same way as the statement
Stronger rent regulation and tenant protections
No statement on this issue in our sources.
- YESS6458 (Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, 2019-06-14): Made rent regulation permanent, ended vacancy decontrol and the vacancy bonus, and limited rent increases for major capital improvements.[7]
Faster transition away from fossil fuels
No statement on this issue in our sources.
- YESS6599 (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, 2019-06-18): Set statewide targets of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and an 85% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.[8]
Stricter gun laws
No statement on this issue in our sources.
- YESS2451 (Extreme Risk Protection Orders (Red Flag Law), 2019-01-29): Allows courts to temporarily bar people found to pose a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms.[9]
- YESS51001 (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.[10]
Protect legal access to abortion
No statement on this issue in our sources.
- YESS240 (Reproductive Health Act, 2019-01-22): Moved abortion from the penal code to the public-health law and protected access to abortion under state law.[11]
Expand immigration enforcement and deportations
No statement on this issue in our sources.
- YESS425-A (Protect Our Courts Act, 2020-07-22): Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant.[12]
Biography
John Liu is the Democratic and Working Families Party New York State Senator for District 16 in northeast Queens and won re-election on November 3, 2026 as the only candidate listed on the ballot. A former actuary, New York City Councilmember and City Comptroller, he has served in the State Senate since 2019 and chairs the New York City Education Committee.[1][2][3][4]
Liu was born in Taiwan in 1967, immigrated to the United States at age five and lives in Flushing.[2][3] He attended Hunter College High School and Bronx High School of Science, then earned a degree in mathematical physics from Binghamton University.[2] He worked 14 years in the private sector as an actuary, most recently as a manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers.[2]
Liu represented Flushing and northeast Queens on the New York City Council from 2002 to 2009 and then served as the 43rd New York City Comptroller from 2010 to 2013, becoming the first Asian American to hold citywide office in New York, according to Carnegie Corporation of New York.[2][3][13] He ran for mayor of New York City in 2013, finishing fourth in the Democratic primary, and lost the 2014 Democratic primary for State Senate District 11 to incumbent Tony Avella.[2][3] He defeated Avella in the September 2018 Democratic primary, won the November 2018 general election for the seat and took office in January 2019.[3]
Liu was redistricted to District 16 in 2023, succeeding Toby Ann Stavisky in representing the area, and he chairs the Senate's New York City Education Committee.[1][2] He is also a member of the Education, Finance, Higher Education, Judiciary, Rules and Transportation committees.[2] He teaches municipal finance and public policy in a graduate program at Columbia University and previously taught at the City University of New York.[2] Liu was the only candidate listed on the ballot for the November 3, 2026 general election, according to Ballotpedia and Wikipedia.[1][4]
Recent votes
| Date | Party line | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to information that residential health care facilities are required to disclose to residents and their familiesA10312-A · Passed Senate 39–21 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 1–21 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Enacts the "police radio transparency act"A11199-A · Passed Senate 37–23 · official record ↗Democrats 36–1 · Republicans 0–22 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to license fees required to be paid by wholesale beer licensees to sell ciderA11437 · Passed Senate 47–13 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 9–13 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Enacts the responsible data center development actA11560 · Passed Senate 43–17 · official record ↗Democrats 36–1 · Republicans 6–16 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Requires the division of criminal justice services to study the technological viability of personalized firearmsA1191-B · Passed Senate 40–20 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 2–20 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Promotes consumer choice by requiring manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide retail sellers with a one through ten repair score that will be displayed to consumers at point of saleA3058-C · Passed Senate 39–21 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 1–21 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to the taxation of vapor productsA4619-B · Passed Senate 52–8 · official record ↗Democrats 32–5 · Republicans 19–3 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to training for school security guardsA5079-E · Passed Senate 52–8 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 14–8 |
Showing the 8 most recent of 32 votes.
All 32 recorded votes
| Date | Party line | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to information that residential health care facilities are required to disclose to residents and their familiesA10312-A · Passed Senate 39–21 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 1–21Relates to information that residential health care facilities are required to separately disclose to residents and their families; requires such information to be posted on the residential health care facility's website. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Enacts the "police radio transparency act"A11199-A · Passed Senate 37–23 · official record ↗Democrats 36–1 · Republicans 0–22Requires that any law enforcement agency in the state that encrypts any portion of its radio communications shall ensure that all of its radio communications, with the exception of sensitive information, may be monitored in real time by professional journalists, newscasters, and individuals employed by emergency services organizations. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to license fees required to be paid by wholesale beer licensees to sell ciderA11437 · Passed Senate 47–13 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 9–13Requires wholesale beer licensees to only need to pay a one time additional license fee to sell cider. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Enacts the responsible data center development actA11560 · Passed Senate 43–17 · official record ↗Democrats 36–1 · Republicans 6–16Places a one year moratorium on the issuance of data center permits; requires utilities to establish an independent classification of service for large data centers; sets energy efficiency goals for data centers; provides for benefits for host communities; sets labor standards for the construction of data centers. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Requires the division of criminal justice services to study the technological viability of personalized firearmsA1191-B · Passed Senate 40–20 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 2–20Enacts the "safer weapons, safer homes act"; requires the division of criminal justice services to study the technological viability of personalized firearms; defines personalized firearms; requires the division to report to the governor and the legislature on the results of the study. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Promotes consumer choice by requiring manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide retail sellers with a one through ten repair score that will be displayed to consumers at point of saleA3058-C · Passed Senate 39–21 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 1–21Promotes consumer choice by requiring manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide retail sellers with a repair score that will be displayed to consumers at point of sale. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to the taxation of vapor productsA4619-B · Passed Senate 52–8 · official record ↗Democrats 32–5 · Republicans 19–3Relates to the taxation of vapor products; provides for the licensing of vapor products distributors; imposes certain tax return filing requirements on vapor products distributors; provides for enforcement powers. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to training for school security guardsA5079-E · Passed Senate 52–8 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 14–8Enacts the "school security guard training enhancement act"; provides that annual training where a security guard is employed or contracted by a school in this state shall require the completion of school specific-training. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to the municipal sustainable energy loan programA5404-C · Passed Senate 47–13 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 9–13Relates to the municipal sustainable energy loan program regarding qualifying water improvements, qualifying resiliency improvements and, in a city with a population of one million or more, the use of low carbon intensity building components. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Relates to the contents of emergency response plans required to be submitted to the public service commission by electric corporationsA6285 · Passed Senate 53–7 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 15–7Relates to the contents of emergency response plans required to be submitted to the public service commission by electric corporations; requires such plans to include details of staffing, equipment, and ability to perform toward certain standards; requires the public service commission to establish a time-based restoration schedule. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Establishes the artificial intelligence training data transparency actA6578-B · Passed Senate 54–6 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 16–6Establishes the artificial intelligence training data transparency act requiring developers of generative artificial intelligence models or services to post on the developer's website information regarding the data used by the developer to train the generative artificial intelligence model or service, including a high-level summary of the datasets used in the development of such system or service. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Enacts "the construction reporting pay act"A6950 · Passed Senate 50–10 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 12–10Enacts "the construction reporting pay act"; provides that each laborer, worker or mechanic in the employ of a contractor who by request or permission of an employer reports for work on any day shall be paid no less than four hours at the prevailing rate of wages. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Permits funds collected from the Oswego county occupancy tax to be used on making tourism related capital improvementsA8143-A · Passed Senate 55–5 · official record ↗Democrats 34–3 · Republicans 20–2Permits funds collected from the Oswego county occupancy tax to be used on making tourism related capital improvements; removes such tax on permanent residents. |
| 2026-06-04 | Against partyvoted no | Designates dog control officers of the village of Holley, named by the village board as constables, as peace officersA8235 · Passed Senate 47–13 · official record ↗Democrats 24–13 · Republicans 22–0Designates dog control officers of the village of Holley, named by the village board as constables, as peace officers. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Provides liability protections for health care providers who issue vaccinesA9140 · Passed Senate 42–18 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 4–18Provides liability protections for health care providers who issue vaccines so long as such vaccination does not arise out of willful misconduct or gross negligence. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Prohibits the use of surveillance pricingA9349-B · Passed Senate 39–21 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 1–21Prohibits the use of surveillance pricing, directly or indirectly; prohibits the collection, use, retention, or sharing of data to facilitate surveillance pricing; provides exceptions; provides for enforcement by the attorney general; makes related provisions. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Requires covered businesses to annually report to the department of labor regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on hiring and the nature of artificial intelligence useA9581-B · Passed Senate 38–22 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 0–22Requires covered businesses to annually report to the department of labor regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on hiring and the nature of artificial intelligence use for the previous year; requires the department of labor to file an annual report on the impact of artificial intelligence on hiring and the nature of artificial intelligence use in the state; establishes penalties for covered business that fail to submit such reports. |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Amends a plan setting forth an itemized list of grantees for a certain appropriation for additional grants in aid for certain educational and not-for-profit institutionsR2343 · Passed Senate 49–11 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 11–11 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Amends a plan setting forth an itemized list of grantees for a certain appropriation for the 2023-2024 fiscal year for services and expenses of human services and veterans community services organizationsR2344 · Passed Senate 51–9 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 13–9 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Amends a plan setting forth an itemized list of grantees for a certain appropriation for additional grants in aid certain educational and not-for-profit institutionsR2345 · Passed Senate 49–11 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 11–11 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Amends a plan setting forth an itemized list of grantees for certain appropriations for services and expenses of economic development and community services organizationsR2346 · Passed Senate 50–10 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 12–10 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Amends a plan setting forth an itemized list of grantees for a certain appropriation for aid for services and expenses of human services and veterans community services organizationsR2347 · Passed Senate 52–8 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 14–8 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Amending a plan setting forth an itemized list of grantees for a certain appropriation for the 2025-26 state fiscal year for community adult and youth mental health programs and servicesR2348 · Passed Senate 50–10 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 12–10 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Amends a plan establishing itemized list of grantees for 2025-2026 providing community safety and restorative justice programsR2349 · Passed Senate 50–10 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 12–10 |
| 2026-06-04 | With partyvoted yes | Amends a plan setting forth an itemized list of grantees for a certain appropriation for additional grants in aid for services and expenses of senate priorities for housing initiativesR2350 · Passed Senate 50–10 · official record ↗Democrats 37–0 · Republicans 12–10 |
| 2022-07-01 | Split partyvoted yes | Concealed Carry Improvement ActS51001 · Passed 43–20 · official record ↗Enacted after the Bruen decision: added training and character requirements for carry permits and barred guns in designated sensitive places. |
| 2021-04-06 | Split partyvoted yes | 2021–22 Budget Revenue Bill (raised taxes on income over $1M and corporate franchise tax)S2509-C · Passed 38–25 · official record ↗Raised personal income tax rates on incomes above $1 million and raised the corporate franchise tax rate on large businesses, among other revenue measures. |
| 2020-07-22 | Split partyvoted yes | Protect Our Courts ActS425-A · Passed 42–18 · official record ↗Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant. |
| 2019-06-18 | Split partyvoted yes | Climate Leadership and Community Protection ActS6599 · Passed 41–21 · official record ↗Set statewide targets of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and an 85% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. |
| 2019-06-14 | Split partyvoted yes | Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019S6458 · Passed 36–26 · official record ↗Made rent regulation permanent, ended vacancy decontrol and the vacancy bonus, and limited rent increases for major capital improvements. |
| 2019-01-29 | Split partyvoted yes | Extreme Risk Protection Orders (Red Flag Law)S2451 · Passed 42–21 · official record ↗Allows courts to temporarily bar people found to pose a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms. |
| 2019-01-22 | Split partyvoted yes | Reproductive Health ActS240 · Passed 38–24 · official record ↗Moved abortion from the penal code to the public-health law and protected access to abortion under state law. |
Albany votes: landmark laws since 2019, plus the 25 most recent 2025–26 roll calls where at least five members voted on the losing side, from the legislature’s official records. Party line is scored for 2025–26 votes only.
On the record
Official actions: bills, executive acts, filings and court records.
- actionChairs the Senate's New York City Education Committee; also serves on the Education, Finance, Higher Education, Judiciary, Rules and Transportation committees and the Select Majority Task Force on Diversity in the Judiciary.[14]
- bill2026-06-02 · Sponsored S10007-A, requiring school districts to give parents of nonpublic-school students with disabilities annual written notice of special-education service request procedures and allowing an expedited review process for New York City parents who missed 2024–25 filing deadlines; passed the Senate 61–0 on June 2, 2026.[15]
- bill2026-06-26 · Sponsored S10365, extending certain deadlines for the green-roof property tax abatement in cities of one million or more people; signed into law as Chapter 153 on June 26, 2026.[16]
- bill2026-05-05 · Sponsored S10191, which would raise the New York City marriage ceremony fee to $55 and the marriage license fee to $60; remained in the Senate Judiciary Committee as of May 5, 2026.[17]
In their own words
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/john-c-liu
Where they stood out
Voted with most of their party on all 681 party-divided votes on file.
Their votes on the most contested roll calls
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
- Yes
Requires cultural awareness and competence training for medical professionals
With most of their party · Passed Senate 34–24 · Yes 34–No 24 · Democrats 33–2, Republicans 0–22
Jun 4, 2025Official record ↗
- Yes
Relates to the closure of nursing homes
With most of their party · Passed Senate 32–20 · Yes 32–No 20 · Democrats 32–0, Republicans 0–20
May 15, 2025Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed Senate 35–23 · Yes 35–No 23 · Democrats 34–1, Republicans 0–22
Jun 4, 2025Official record ↗
- Yes
Relates to commissaries and canteens at correctional institutions
With most of their party · Passed Senate 36–22 · Yes 36–No 22 · Democrats 35–0, Republicans 0–22
May 29, 2026Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed Senate 36–22 · Yes 36–No 22 · Democrats 35–0, Republicans 0–22
May 29, 2026Official record ↗
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.New York State Senate District 16 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.About Senator John Liu · NYSenate.gov Official record
- 3.John Liu · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 4.New York State Senate election results 2026 · Wikipedia · 2026-11-09 Reference
- 5.Liu/Souffrant Forrest Introduce Fair Share Act To Address New York City's Chronic Affordability Crisis · NYSenate.gov Official record
- 6.Senate floor vote: S2509-C — 2021–22 Budget Revenue Bill (raised taxes on income over $1M and corporate franchise tax) · New York State Senate · 2021-04-06 Official record
- 7.Senate floor vote: S6458 — Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 · New York State Senate · 2019-06-14 Official record
- 8.Senate floor vote: S6599 — Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act · New York State Senate · 2019-06-18 Official record
- 9.Senate floor vote: S2451 — Extreme Risk Protection Orders (Red Flag Law) · New York State Senate · 2019-01-29 Official record
- 10.Senate floor vote: S51001 — Concealed Carry Improvement Act · New York State Senate · 2022-07-01 Official record
- 11.Senate floor vote: S240 — Reproductive Health Act · New York State Senate · 2019-01-22 Official record
- 12.Senate floor vote: S425-A — Protect Our Courts Act · New York State Senate · 2020-07-22 Official record
- 13.John Liu, 2010 Great Immigrants · Carnegie Corporation of New York News report
- 14.About Senator John Liu · NYSenate.gov Official record
- 15.S10007-A: Relates to submission of requests to the committee on special education · NYSenate.gov · 2026-06-02 Official record
- 16.S10365: Extends certain deadlines for the green roof tax abatement · NYSenate.gov · 2026-06-26 Official record
- 17.S10191: Increases the marriage ceremony fee and marriage license fee in the city of New York · NYSenate.gov · 2026-05-05 Official record