Lander Takes Narrow Lead in 43rd District

Democrat Devin R. Lander leads state Sen. Jake Ashby by 141 votes as officials process remaining ballots.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Legislative Policy

Lander Takes Narrow Lead in 43rd District

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Democratic challenger Devin R. Lander pulled ahead of state Sen. Jake Ashby in the 43rd District race, leading by 141 votes as of noon Tuesday. If the lead holds, Ashby would become the third Republican state lawmaker in the Capital Region ousted.

Why it matters

The tally remains fluid while roughly 600 affidavit ballots are processed, and a margin of half a percentage point or less would trigger a manual recount. Certification is not expected until next week, after the deadline for some cured mail ballots passes.

With about 122,000 votes processed, Lander holds a 141-vote margin over Ashby while roughly 600 affidavit ballots remain. A manual recount is required if neither candidate leads by more than half a percentage point, but no recount can start until certification.

The players

Devin R. Lander

Democratic challenger seeking the 43rd District state Senate seat, who said he would be better suited than Ashby to deliver funding for infrastructure and schools.

Jake Ashby

Republican state senator representing the 43rd District and a military veteran, who made energy costs and public safety central to his reelection campaign.

The details

The 43rd District covers Rensselaer County and parts of Albany and Washington counties, and the seat became more competitive after 2023 redistricting added Colonie and the cities of Watervliet and Cohoes. Ashby, a military veteran, made rising energy costs and public safety central to his reelection bid, while Lander said he would be better suited to deliver funding for infrastructure and schools.

2023: Redistricting added Colonie, Watervliet and Cohoes to the district.
Last week: Ashby said he was confident in his electoral lead.
November 10, 2026: Lander pulled ahead of Ashby as counting continued.
Next week: Results are expected to be certified after the cured mail ballot deadline passes.

Legislative Context

The 43rd District's competitiveness traces to the 2023 redistricting that added Colonie, Watervliet and Cohoes. If Lander holds his lead, Ashby would be the third Republican state lawmaker in the Capital Region ousted.

The outcome determines which candidate represents Rensselaer County and parts of Albany and Washington counties in the state Senate. Voters in the district should expect results to remain unsettled until certification is complete.

The takeaway

Close races can take weeks to resolve, and the final result in the 43rd District will depend on how remaining affidavit and mail ballots are counted and certified.

What happens next

Certification of the results is expected next week, after the deadline for some cured mail ballots passes, and a manual recount would follow if the margin is half a percentage point or less.