Sen. Siela Bynoe
Siela Bynoe, a Democrat representing the D+25 SD-6 district first elected in 2025, chairs the Libraries Committee and has concentrated her 38-bill sponsorship record on education, property tax reform, and water contamination — particularly PFAS and 1,4-dioxane remediation — while engaging all 8 of her committee hearings with notable skepticism toward charter school expansion, raising concerns that Nassau County communities are currently sending $120 million to charter schools with projections rising to $140 million next year. She cast 1,443 votes in the 2025 session with a 98.3% party loyalty rate, though she broke with the Democrat caucus on 6 recorded floor votes spanning environmental conservation, housing, and criminal procedure. Bynoe won her 2024 general election by 21.8 points over Thomas Philip Montefinise, and electoral modeling rates the seat Safe D even under a favorable Republican environment; her campaign finance profile is notably lean at $16,105 raised between 2022 and 2024, with zero corporate or PAC contributions, while the top lobbying sectors engaging her office include Health – General and Energy & Natural Resources – Waste Management, both flagged for committee overlap.AI
Topic Focus AI
Topics extracted by AI from floor speeches, committee hearing transcripts, and sponsored legislation. Bill and hearing citations link to source records for verification. Tag size reflects number of supporting citations.
Key Issues AI
From committee hearings, floor debate, and bill sponsorship.
Legislative Activity (2025–2026)
Based on complete Senate roll call records.
Bill Outcomes 2025 Session
Covers Senate-sponsored bills only. Status from Open Legislation API.
Committee Assignments
Electoral History SD-6
General Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Siela A. Bynoe 60.9% (78,951) | Thomas Philip Montefinise 39.1% (50,715) | 21.8pts |
| 2022 | Kevin M. Thomas 59.2% (54,013) | James L. Coll 40.8% (37,231) | 18.4pts |
| 2020 | Kevin M. Thomas 50.7% (76,588) | Dennis Dunne, Sr. 48.7% (73,630) | ⚡ 2.0pts |
| 2018 | Kevin M. Thomas 50.8% (55,204) | Kemp Hannon 49.2% (53,396) | ⚡ 1.7pts |
| 2016 | Kemp Hannon 53.8% (71,623) | Ryan E. Cronin 46.2% (61,525) | ⚡ 7.6pts |
| 2014 | Kemp Hannon 63.1% (42,314) | Ethan D. Irwin 36.9% (24,702) | 26.3pts |
| 2012 | Kemp Hannon 52.0% (58,843) | Ryan E. Cronin 48.0% (54,382) | ⚡ 3.9pts |
| 2010 | Kemp Hannon 58.7% (45,970) | Francesca Carlow 38.7% (30,328) | 20.0pts |
| 2008 | Kemp Hannon 51.3% (60,590) | Kristen M. McElroy 48.7% (57,560) | ⚡ 2.6pts |
| 2006 | Kemp Hannon 57.6% (40,277) | Casilda E. Roper-Simpson 42.4% (29,656) | 15.2pts |
| 2004 | Kemp Hannon 57.0% (64,550) | Charles J. Ferzola 43.0% (48,633) | 14.1pts |
| 2002 | Kemp Hannon 61.2% (44,400) | Norman St. George 35.0% (25,355) | 26.3pts |
| 2000 | Kemp Hannon 52.1% (55,176) | Mark S. Keefe 44.7% (47,298) | ⚡ 7.4pts |
| 1998 | Kemp Hannon 59.9% (46,677) | Anthony D. Macagnone 36.4% (28,399) | 23.4pts |
| 1996 | Kemp Hannon 57.2% (55,539) | Kevin N. Langberg 42.8% (41,517) | 14.4pts |
Primary Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (Libertarian) | Jonathan Gunther 83.9% (26) | Dennis Dunne, Sr. 16.1% (5) | 67.7pts |
Source: NYS Board of Elections certified results. ⚡ = margin under 10 pts.
Vulnerability Index SD-6
Base lean: D+24
- District redrawn after 2020 Census — limited same-boundary history
Scenario model: ±5pt national environment shift applied to district base lean (D+24). 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 = 20+ pts, Likely = 10–19 pts, Lean = 4–9 pts, Toss-up = within 3 pts. Generic ballot from Silver Bulletin (Nate Silver), as of 5/20/2026 — see current figure on the district map. Not a prediction — reflects structural competitiveness under different cycle environments.
Top Co-Sponsors
District 6 Profile
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). Voter registration: NYS Board of Elections (Nov. 2025).
Voter Registration
Campaign Finance (2022–2024)
Top Donors
Donor Industries top donors
Source: NYS Board of Elections via data.ny.gov. Itemized monetary contributions only. ↔ Bills = donor industry aligns with bill sponsorship focus area.
Data through 2026-03-28.
Lobbying Activity 2025
Top Lobbying Issues
Top Organizations Lobbying This Senator
Source: NY Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government via data.ny.gov. Counts reflect bi-monthly disclosure records filed with the Ethics Commission — not individual meetings. ★ Chair = lobbying issue overlaps with a committee this senator chairs. ↔ Overlap = matches committee membership or bill sponsorship focus.
Demographics
Commute Mode
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). Race and ethnicity figures may not sum to 100% — Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity category that overlaps with racial groups.
Voting Record
Dissenting Votes by Topic
7 additional dissenting votes across other topics
From 1,443 recorded floor votes via OpenLeg API. Dissenting votes grouped by law section to reveal policy patterns.
Votes through 2026-02-10.
Floor Speeches: In Support (2) AI
Supported the $50 million NUMC investment, noting the hospital's infrastructure neglect including crumbling facade, failing HVAC systems, and broken elevators. Credited leadership for bolstering the Governor's commitment from $1 billion to $1.5 billion in distressed hospital funding.
Supported Part LL, arguing the state needed to step in after county mismanagement and that the hospital serves vulnerable populations who depend on it for care.
Committee Hearing Engagement (8) AI
| Date | Committee | Engagement | Stance | Focus Areas | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-13 | FINANCE | low | neutral | Early intervention systems for officers Educational programs in jails | Sen. Bynoe asked about early intervention systems for identifying problematic officers and educational programs in correctional facilities. |
| 2025-02-06 | Joint Legislative Hearing - Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee | low | neutral | Long Island resilience State Touring Routes program | Sen. Bynoe asked about flood resilience funding and the State Touring Routes program, expressing interest in Long Island-specific infrastructure needs. |
| 2025-02-05 | Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee | low | neutral | CCBHCs Uninsured care funding | Sen. Bynoe asked about CCBHC funding and uninsured care pools. |
| 2025-01-29 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Library capital funding School library per-pupil funding Charter school saturation Hempstead School District impacts Financial monitors | Sen. Bynoe raised concerns about charter school saturation in her district, noting Hempstead sends $87 million of its $234 million total aid to charter schools, with Uniondale projected to send $25 million. She questioned SED's oversight of charter school approvals and advocated for both fiscal and instructional monitors in struggling districts. |
| 2025-01-29 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Charter school saturation and funding impacts Public school funding disparities Charter school accountability | Sen. Bynoe raised significant concerns about charter school saturation in her Nassau County district, noting that communities are sending $120 million to charter schools currently and projected to send $140 million next year. She asked witnesses about the impacts on public school programs and educators, and expressed concern about another charter school being approved by SUNY. She sought testimony on how to balance public and charter school coexistence. |
| 2025-01-29 | FINANCE | moderate | supportive | Library core services threats NOVELny database funding | Sen. Bynoe asked Mr. Prime to explain specific threats to library core services and how NOVELny funding would be used, demonstrating interest in understanding the details of library funding needs. |
| 2025-01-28 | FINANCE | low | supportive | water infrastructure funding 1,4-dioxane contamination harmful algal blooms funding | Sen. Bynoe asked about water infrastructure needs in her district, particularly regarding emerging contaminants and harmful algal blooms. |
| 2025-01-28 | FINANCE | moderate | supportive | Water testing and PFAS contamination Disadvantaged communities and water affordability 1,4 dioxane in Hempstead | Sen. Bynoe asked about increased testing for water contamination and funding for disadvantaged communities facing water quality crises, particularly regarding 1,4 dioxane in her district. |