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New York

Hawley Leads Wolcott in Assembly Race

Incumbent Republican Steve Hawley holds a commanding lead over Democratic challenger Sarah Wolcott in the state Assembly contest as early returns come in.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

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Early returns show Republican incumbent Steve Hawley holding nearly 59% of the vote over Democrat Sarah Wolcott, 41%, in the New York state Assembly race. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Did you vote early in this year's midterm elections?

Incumbent Republican Steve Hawley captured nearly 59% of the vote in the state Assembly race as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, with Democrat Sarah Wolcott at 41%. Early voting totals for the 2026 midterm elections trailed those of the 2024 presidential election.

Why it matters

The early returns offer an initial read on voter sentiment across New York's state and congressional races, including the governor's contest and key Senate and House seats. Residents in New York state are tracking how the results shape control of local and statewide offices.

Unofficial returns show Kathy Hochul at 66% and Bruce Blakeman at 33% in the governor's race with half of votes reported, while Claudia Tenney held 45.7% against Alissa Ellman's 54.3% in NY-24 with about a quarter of results in. Final certified totals will depend on the remaining ballots, including absentee votes received after Election Day.

The players

Kathy Hochul

Kathy Hochul is the Democratic governor of New York who held a 66% share of the vote against her challenger in the unofficial early returns.

Bruce Blakeman

Bruce Blakeman is the Republican challenger in New York's governor's race who held 33% of the vote with half of votes reported.

The details

Early voting was conducted over the past week, and results were reported at 10 p.m. Tuesday. In the state Senate race, George Borrello held 64.3% of the vote against Victoria Guite's 35.7% with 44% of results reported, and no total votes had been reported for Genesee County as of 10:15 p.m.

Timeline

  1. 2024: 7,474 early voters cast ballots in the presidential election.

  2. 2026-11-03

    5,232 early voters cast ballots as of early Tuesday, with results reported at 10 p.m.

  3. 2026-11-04

    Election updates are expected early Wednesday morning.

Political Context

Early voting in the 2026 midterms ran below the 7,474 early voters recorded in the 2024 presidential election, a departure from that higher-turnout cycle. Opposition arguments and dissenting positions were not provided in the extraction for this race.

Voters in New York's Assembly, Senate, House and governor's races will see the outcomes shape which officials represent their districts and state. Because absentee ballots may still arrive after Election Day, final results may shift from the early returns.

The takeaway

Early returns can shift as remaining ballots are counted, so check certified totals before drawing conclusions about any race. Voters tracking a specific contest should follow updates as absentee ballots are tallied.

What happens next

Absentee ballots by mail may still be received after Election Day, and updated election results are expected early Wednesday morning.

Further reading

Track the latest results in the Elections section for more context on New York's contested races.

Live Poll

Did you vote early in this year's midterm elections?