Asm. Daniel Norber — The Commons Gallery

Daniel Norber (R-AD-16) is among the most electorally vulnerable members of the New York State Assembly, having won his 2024 race against Gina L. Sillitti by just 1.0 point in a district that carries a D+10 partisan lean and a 10-point Democratic registration advantage, with Democrats holding 37,328 registrations (37.2%) against Republicans' 26,853 (26.8%); scenario modeling rates the seat as Lean D in a neutral environment and Toss-up only under favorable Republican conditions. AD-16 is a high-income, highly educated suburban district with a median household income of $161,985, a 67.2% bachelor's degree attainment rate, 81.0% homeownership, and a racially diverse population that is 59.0% white, 27.8% Asian, 9.4% Hispanic, and 2.0% Black. First elected in 2025, Norber has sponsored 22 bills in his initial session, with his sponsorship concentrated in Penal Law (5 bills), Tax (3 bills), and Public Authorities (2 bills), alongside single bills in Cannabis, Civil Rights, Education, Elder, and General Municipal law. The district's competitive history — with seven of the last eight general elections decided by margins under 8 points — underscores the structural instability of the seat Norber now holds.AI

Vulnerability Index AD-16

Base lean: D+4

Favorable D

Likely D

Neutral

Lean D

Favorable R

Toss-up

Won last contested race by only 1.1 points

Scenario model: ±5pt national environment shift applied to district base lean (D+4). Base lean blends voter registration (40%) with recent contested general election margins (60%), using up to the last 4 general elections with margins under 40 points. Ratings: Safe D/R = 15+ pts, Likely = 8–14 pts, Lean = 3–7 pts, Toss-up = within 2 pts. Generic ballot from Silver Bulletin (Nate Silver), as of 5/1/2026. Not a prediction — reflects structural competitiveness under different cycle environments.

Electoral History AD-16

General Elections

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Margin
2024	Daniel J. Norber 50.5% (34,843)	Gina L. Sillitti 49.5% (34,104)	⚡ 1.0pts
2022	Gina L. Sillitti 51.7% (26,537)	Vibhuti N. Jha 48.3% (24,752)	⚡ 3.4pts
2020	Gina L. Sillitti 53.7% (35,455)	Ragini Srivastava 45.8% (30,263)	⚡ 7.9pts
2018	Anthony D'Urso 62.5% (30,151)	Byron A. Divins, Jr. 37.5% (18,062)	25.0pts
2016	Anthony D'Urso 52.2% (29,606)	Matthew Varvaro 47.8% (27,118)	⚡ 4.4pts
2014	Michelle Schimel 60.4% (18,427)	Douglas M. Lee 39.6% (12,089)	20.8pts
2012	Michelle Schimel 61.2% (29,206)	Richard E. Stiek 38.8% (18,487)	22.4pts
2010	Michelle Schimel 58.3% (23,384)	Scott D. Diamond 41.7% (16,748)	16.6pts
2008	Michelle Е. Schimel 63.4% (34,568)	Matthew S. Mitchell 36.6% (19,978)	26.8pts
2006	Thomas P. DiNapoli 74.1% (27,296)	Louis F. Chisari 25.9% (9,516)	48.2pts
2004	Thomas P. DiNapoli 69.3% (40,179)	Michael P. McGillicuddy 30.7% (17,791)	38.6pts
2002	Thomas P. DiNapoli 67.6% (25,301)	Javier E. Vargas 28.1% (10,527)	39.5pts
2000	Thomas P. DiNapoli 70.3% (35,621)	Jerome J. Galluscio 29.7% (15,053)	40.6pts
1998	Thomas P. DiNapoli 67.1% (26,536)	Thomas Zampino 32.9% (13,027)	34.2pts
1996	Thomas P. Di Napoli 65.9% (31,474)	Edward K. Kitt 34.1% (16,297)	31.8pts

Special Elections

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Margin
2007	Michelle Schimel 85.8% (5,615)	Ryan DeCicco 14.2% (933)	71.6pts

Source: NYS Board of Elections certified results. ⚡ = margin under 10 pts. District history reflects 2022 redistricted boundaries.

Voter Registration

37%

27%

36%

Dem 37.2% Rep 26.8% Ind/Other 36.0%

District 16 Profile

Population 139,169

Median income $161,985

Median rent $2,478

Homeownership 81.0%

Education (BA+) 67.2%

Poverty rate 4.7%

Uninsured rate 2.7%

Unemployment rate 4.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024).

Demographics

White 59.0%

Black 2.0%

Hispanic 9.4%

Asian 27.8%

Median age 44.3

Foreign born 28.3%

Limited English households 6.0%

Veterans 2.5%

Disability rate 9.5%

Commute Mode

Drive alone 52.3%

Public transit 17.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2024). Race and ethnicity figures may not sum to 100% — Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity category that overlaps with racial groups.

Legislative Activity (2025–2026)

22

4

Years in office 1

Bill sponsorship from NYS Open Legislation API. Joint hearing appearances from NYS Senate hearing transcripts.

Floor Session Activity 2025–2026

A09446 / S4505 PASSED 2026-01-21

An act to amend the General Business Law, in relation to warning labels on addictive feature platforms

The Assembly passed A09446, a chapter amendment addressing warning labels on addictive social media platforms. Assemblyman Norber spoke in strong support, characterizing the bill as a commonsense measure to protect New Yorkers, particularly children, from deliberately addictive digital platform features. Norber argued the bill does not ban technology or restrict speech, but rather provides transparency and informed choice through warning labels similar to those on cigarettes and alcohol. He noted that features like infinite scrolling, auto-play, and algorithmic manipulation are engineered to keep users engaged, and cited mental health professionals' concerns about rising anxiety, depression, and attention deficit disorders linked to excessive platform use. The bill passed without recorded opposition.

A01962-B PASSED 2025-06-11

Francesco's Law - Safe storage of firearms; amends Penal Law and Executive Law regarding gun violence prevention reporting

The Assembly passed A01962-B, sponsored by Asm. Anderson, amending safe storage requirements for firearms under Penal Law Section 265. The bill, known as "Francesco's Law," establishes a noncriminal violation for failure to safely store firearms and a Class A misdemeanor when minors gain access to unsecured weapons. The legislation aligns New York with safe storage standards in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Minnesota, and directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to collect data on firearm-related incidents and conduct public education campaigns. The bill includes exceptions for unlawful entry, self-defense, and lawful hunting by licensed minors. Supporters, including Asm. Lavine and Asm. Forrest, emphasized the bill's potential to prevent youth suicides and protect children, citing testimony from joint committee hearings. Opponents, including Asm. Molitor, raised concerns about forcing gun owners to choose between accessibility for self-defense and secure storage, and questioned whether existing 2022 legislation already addressed the core protections. Rural members raised practical questions about hunting, trap shooting teams, and farm protection scenarios. The bill passed without a recorded vote tally being announced in this segment.

A05660 / S4106 PASSED 2025-04-29

Medical Aid in Dying Act (Death with Dignity)

The New York State Assembly passed landmark medical aid in dying legislation on Tuesday, April 29, establishing a program allowing terminally ill patients with less than six months to live to request medication to end their lives. The bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, passed after an emotional floor debate that transcended party lines, with members sharing deeply personal experiences of family deaths and end-of-life suffering. Supporters cited 30 years of data from ten states and Washington D.C. showing no abuse under similar laws, while opponents raised concerns about vulnerable populations, the adequacy of hospice care, and the vagueness of the six-month terminal illness standard. The legislation includes strict safeguards requiring multiple physician evaluations and a 15-day waiting period. The vote came after Paulin's 11-year effort to bring the bill to the floor.

A418 / S9679-A 2025-03-11

An act to amend the Cannabis Law in relation to cannabis showcase event permits

The Assembly debated legislation to amend New York's Cannabis Showcase Event Permit program, which allows cultivators and processors to sell products at temporary pop-up events. Sponsor Assemblywoman Lupardo explained the bill requires both a cultivator and processor to participate in permits (rather than one or the other) and restricts events to separate, standalone pop-ups while maintaining the option for farmers market locations. The bill aims to help struggling cannabis growers build customer bases as retail licensing expands. However, Assemblywoman Walsh opposed the measure, arguing the program is no longer necessary given increased retail licensing and expressing concern that allowing cannabis pop-ups at farmers markets exposes children to the product. She called for OCM to instead focus on policing illegal pot shops. Assemblyman Norber raised similar concerns about child exposure and questioned whether limits exist on the number of pop-up shops at individual farmers markets. Municipal control over opt-out communities and farmers market participation was clarified during debate.

Source: Official NY Assembly floor session transcripts (Granicus). AI-processed. Includes sessions from 2023 onward where transcripts are available.

Bill Focus Areas 2025–2026

bills

Grouped by law section from sponsored Assembly bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation API.

Lobbying Activity

No lobbying disclosures on record for this member in the available dataset (JCOPE filings targeting Assembly members).

Source: NY Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government via data.ny.gov.