Sen. Stephen T. Chan
Stephen T. Chan is a Republican state senator representing Senate District 17, a heavily Democratic district (D+36) in New York, first elected in 2025. In his inaugural session, he has sponsored 20 bills with a primary focus on education, penal law, and tax policy, while voting with the Republican caucus 94.1% of the time across 1,443 recorded votes. Chan has raised $128,196 in campaign contributions, with 80.9% coming from individual donors and no corporate or PAC contributions recorded.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
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-17
General Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Steve Chan 54.9% (30,868) | Iwen Chu 45.1% (25,364) | ⚡ 9.8pts |
| 2022 | Iwen Chu 50.7% (18,362) | Vito J. LaBella 49.3% (17,828) | ⚡ 1.5pts |
| 2020 | Simcha Felder 100.0% (78,650) | Uncontested | — |
| 2018 | Simcha Felder 85.0% (41,544) | Jumaane D. Williams 13.5% (6,611) | 71.5pts |
| 2016 | Simcha Felder 100.0% (63,002) | Uncontested | — |
| 2014 | Simcha Felder 100.0% (29,489) | Uncontested | — |
| 2012 | Simcha Felder 66.4% (39,266) | David Storobin 32.7% (19,338) | 33.7pts |
| 2010 | Martin Malave Dilan 91.1% (31,483) | Michael E. Freeman-Saulsberre 8.9% (3,084) | 82.2pts |
| 2008 | Martin Malave-Dilan 92.5% (57,762) | Victor C. Guarino 7.5% (4,667) | 85.0pts |
| 2006 | Martin Malave Dilan 91.5% (25,388) | Victor F. Guarino 8.5% (2,365) | 83.0pts |
| 2004 | Martin Malave Dilan 84.8% (47,103) | Victor F. Guarina 10.4% (5,787) | 74.3pts |
| 2002 | Martin M. Dilan 69.0% (19,851) | Nellie R. Santiago 31.0% (8,914) | 38.0pts |
| 2000 | Nellie R. Santiago 98.9% (44,200) | Geramnia Taveras 1.1% (473) | 97.9pts |
| 1998 | Nellie R. Santiago 92.1% (26,242) | Carolyn R. Cook 5.0% (1,424) | 87.1pts |
| 1996 | Nellie R. Santiago 92.9% (33,095) | Nora Feliciano 5.7% (2,039) | 87.2pts |
Primary Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 (Democratic) | Simcha Felder 65.5% (15,589) | Blake Morris 34.5% (8,200) | 31.1pts |
Source: NYS Board of Elections certified results. ⚡ = margin under 10 pts.
Vulnerability Index SD-17
Base lean: D+16
- Recently competitive (margin < 10pts)
Scenario model: ±5pt national environment shift applied to district base lean (D+16). 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" refers to national partisan polling used to model favorable/unfavorable cycle environments. Not a prediction — reflects structural competitiveness under different cycle environments.
Top Co-Sponsors
District 17 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 (2022–2025)
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
28 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
While voting in favor, Sen. Chan expressed concerns that speed camera violations are attributed to vehicles rather than drivers, making enforcement problematic. He suggested arrest and jail time might be more effective deterrents than vehicle speed limiters.
Emphasized the importance of respecting the aging population, noting his district's diverse older demographic and the vital roles seniors play in their communities and families. Called on colleagues to support the bill as a tribute to elders.
Floor Speeches: In Opposition (3) AI
Expressed frustration that the budget lacks a utility tax holiday that could save ratepayers $2,000-$4,000 annually. Criticized the failure to address auto insurance costs and felt constituents are being held hostage by the mayor's demands.
Voted in opposition to the measure.
Expressed concern about lack of oversight and compared the bill to drug diversion problems, arguing that just because crimes haven't been caught doesn't mean they haven't occurred.
Committee Hearing Engagement (1) AI
| Date | Committee | Engagement | Stance | Focus Areas | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-26 | New York State Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee | moderate | skeptical | New York business climate competitiveness Amazon headquarters loss business attraction strategy | Sen. Chan questioned why New York continues to rank poorly for business climate despite economic development investments, noting the loss of Amazon headquarters and questioning the strategy of attracting casinos. |