Upper East Side Election Guide: Congress, Assembly, Senate & More

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Make room on your Halloween costumes for an "I Voted" sticker: early voting started Saturday for dozens of races across the city, including several contested elections on the Upper East Side.

Below, find our roundup of who's running in the general elections for Congress, State Senate and State Assembly in the neighborhood.

Early voting runs from Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, with Election Day on Nov. 8. (If you're not sure how to vote, find your poll site and view a sample ballot here.)

Here's what to know about the upcoming races on the Upper East Side:

Congress: Nadler vs. Zumbluskas vs. Itkis

Jerry Nadler, 75, triumphed in the August Democratic primary against Carolyn Maloney and Suraj Patel in the new 12th District that spans the Upper West and East sides.

In the general election, the veteran lawmaker faces two challengers: Republican Michael Zumbluskas and Mikhail Itkis, running on his own "Itkis Campaign" ballot line.

Nadler, considered a progressive, has touted his efforts to counter voter suppression, support survivors of sexual assault, and scrutinize ex-President Donald Trump.

Zumbluskas, a staffer at the city Department of Transportation, has previously run for State Senate and Assembly on the Upper East Side. He says his top issues include crime, homelessness and inflation.

Itkis, an IT project manager, made news earlier this month when he promoted his "sex positive" campaign platform by releasing a porn video in which he had a featured role.

State Assembly: Bores vs. Casavis

The Upper East Side's only open seat is in the 73rd Assembly District, which runs mostly west of Third Avenue and into Midtown East.

There, engineer Alex Bores emerged victorious in the hard-fought June Democratic primary to replace retiring member Dan Quart.

Bores previously told Patch that his top concerns include public safety, quality of life, the environment and public schools.

In the general election, he faces Republican David Casavis, a local political operative and adjunct professor at CUNY and SUNY. Casavis, who unsuccessfully challenged East Side City Council Member Keith Powers last year, does not appear to have a campaign website.

State Senate: Krueger vs. Gupta

In the State Senate, longtime Democratic lawmaker Liz Krueger is seeking an 11th term in Albany. Her 28th District covers nearly all of the Upper East Side, and much of Midtown.

She is being challenged by Republican Awadhesh Gupta, whose campaign has generated little public information.

Unopposed: Seawright, Serrano

State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright faces no challengers in her bid for a fifth term representing the 76th District, covering Yorkville and Roosevelt Island.

Seawright easily beat Patrick Bobilin in the June Democratic primary, and survived a fraught re-election bid in 2020 in which she was forced to run on an independent line after being kicked off the Democratic ballot due to a filing error.

State Senator Jose M. Serrano, whose East Harlem-based 29th District includes a few Yorkville blocks north of 87th Street, is likewise running unopposed.

Besides local legislative elections, the ballot will also feature statewide races for governor and lieutenant governor, comptroller, attorney general and U.S. Senate, plus four ballot questions and contests for local judgeships.

How to Vote

Early Voting

New Yorkers have nine days to cast their ballots early running from Oct. 29 to Nov. 6.

Hours:

• Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 31: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 1 and 2: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Nov. 3: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday, Nov. 4: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 5 and 6: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Voters can type their information into this poll finder website to find their early voting location, as well as their Election Day polling location.

Likewise, the New York State Board of Elections website has a tool that shows voter information and links to polling locations.

An absentee ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and must reach the Board of Elections no more than 7 days after the election to be counted.

Voting On Nov. 8

Voters who choose to vote on Election Day itself can easily find their polling location by clicking here. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

What Happens After Nov. 8?

Nobody knows, but check Patch for updates.