Six candidates vie for three North Country state offices
Six candidates are competing in three contested North Country state races in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election.
By Caleb Mercer, ClickNNY North Country Desk
Six candidates are competing in three contested North Country state races in the Nov. 3, 2026 general election: the 117th Assembly District, the 45th Senate District and the 49th Senate District.
The 117th Assembly District seat is open as Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush retires after about 16 years in office. Republican Tammie Nabywaniec, Blankenbush’s chief of staff, is running against Democrat Dennis Gordon, a small-business owner who has lived near Fort Drum for nearly 16 years. Nabywaniec has emphasized local control, while Gordon has focused on hospital access, Medicaid and Medicare cuts, and retaining young people in the region.
The 45th Senate District includes parts of St. Lawrence County and the Adirondack region. Republican incumbent Dan Stec, who has held office since 2021, is facing Democrat Melissa Seale, a nurse who has lived in the North Country for 20 years. Stec previously served on the Queensbury Town Board and in the 114th Assembly District. Stec and Seale participated in a televised debate addressing affordability, a proposed prison, data centers and Medicaid audits.
The 49th Senate District includes parts of St. Lawrence County and all of Jefferson and Lewis counties. Republican Sen. Mark Walczyk, who has held the seat since 2023, is running against Democrat Cassie Robbins-Forbus, a grant writer for Samaritan Medical Center. Affordability and health care access have been central issues in that contest. Walczyk has pointed to New York energy costs, while Robbins-Forbus has called for local solutions and reliable, sustainable health care.
The races affect voters across Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, including communities near Fort Drum and the Adirondack region. District boundaries differ by office, so voters should check their specific ballot and polling information with the New York State Board of Elections.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Early voting took place from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1. Election updates and voter information are available through the state Board of Elections.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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