VoterLens
New York State Senate District 26
Hunter College—BA; George Washington University Law School—JD
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Andrew Gounardes is a Democrat and current New York State Senator representing District 26 in Brooklyn, first elected in November 2018. Before joining the Senate, his public-service work included serving as an aide to former New York City Councilmember Vincent Gentile and later as counsel to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams for five years; he also served as a trustee of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System. He co-founded Bay Ridge Cares after Superstorm Sandy and has worked with community groups on transportation and street-safety issues.
Committee Assignments: Budget and Revenue · Codes · Ethics and Internal Governance · Finance · Higher Education · Insurance · Internet and Technology · Judiciary · Select Majority Task Force on Diversity in the Judiciary · Select Majority Task Force on Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises
Andrew Gounardes, Democratic New York State Senator for District 26, supports expanding health care access and lowering costs through hospital price transparency, drug price transparency, vaccine coverage, and broader coverage for uninsured immigrants. His health care record includes sponsoring enacted hospital-cost and pharmacy-benefit-manager transparency measures and advancing COVID-19 vaccine insurance coverage.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Stated support for Coverage for All to expand affordable health insurance access to immigrant New Yorkers regardless of immigration status, saying health care access helps every New Yorker participate in family, work, and community life.
SourceAndrew Gounardes emphasizes an economy centered on working families, wage protections, freelancers, local small businesses, and making large corporations pay more fairly. As a sitting Democratic state senator for New York State Senate District 26, his Economy & Jobs record includes sponsoring labor-protection bills, proposing tax reforms aimed at corporate tax benefits, and supporting measures to expand revenue opportunities for local businesses.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Gounardes supported legislation allowing liquor, cider, mead, and other alcohol producers to ship directly to consumers, arguing it would create new sales opportunities for local businesses and strengthen the economy.
SourceAndrew Gounardes, Democratic New York State Senator for District 26, supports immigrant-protection policies that limit state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, expand due-process/legal-service protections, and support refugee resettlement. He is the prime sponsor of the New York For All Act and has publicly opposed ICE-related family-separation and enforcement tactics while supporting state action to protect immigrant children and refugees.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Gounardes publicly backed the New York For All Act as a statewide standard for agency interactions with federal immigration enforcement and said New York should protect immigrant neighbors rather than help family-separation policies.
SourceGounardes supported New York funding legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children facing removal proceedings after federal support was cut.
SourceAndrew Gounardes, the Democratic New York State Senator for District 26, supports aggressive climate action, renewable energy development, climate education, and transportation policies intended to reduce emissions. His record includes sponsoring climate education legislation, co-sponsoring broader climate investment legislation, supporting offshore wind, and co-sponsoring New York's landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Gounardes opposed the federal revocation of approval for Empire Wind 1 and supported the Brooklyn-linked offshore wind project as a source of renewable power, union jobs, resilient infrastructure, and energy independence.
SourceAndrew Gounardes, Democratic New York State Senator for District 26, emphasizes expanding access to public and higher education, reducing student debt burdens, and regulating technology in schools. His education record includes proposing free pre-K-through-undergraduate public education, student-loan assistance measures, climate education, and classroom ed-tech limits.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Gounardes supported the Board of Regents' statewide K-12 climate education requirement and said it was inspired by his bill to require public schools to provide climate-change instruction.
SourceAndrew Gounardes, Democratic New York State Senator for District 26, frames public safety around safer streets, school safety, gun-violence prevention, and limits on police involvement in civil immigration enforcement. His record includes sponsoring bills to require speed limiters for repeat dangerous drivers, extend NYC school-zone speed cameras, reform lockdown drills, and restrict state/local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
NYSenate.gov
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/andrew-gounardes/aboutFetched: biography, hometown, education, background, committees
Andrew Gounardes for State Senate
https://www.andrewgounardes.com/aboutFetched: biography, hometown, background
OpenStates / Plural
https://openstates.org/person/andrew-gounardes-5IYwoSBDxbxdSM6ARSQh4l/Fetched: votingRecord
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/candidate/andrew-s-gounardes?filer=andrew-gounardes-for-state-senate-2026-456326Fetched: campaignFinance
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/committee/andrew-gounardes-for-state-senate-2026-456326Fetched: campaignFinance
Vote Smart
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/143086/andrew-gounardesFetched: endorsements
NYSenate.gov - About Andrew Gounardes
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/andrew-gounardes/aboutFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S4097A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S4097/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S9040
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S9040Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S8334A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8334Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S10219
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10219Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Immigrant Advocates Demand Health Coverage for All
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/michael-gianaris/immigrant-advocates-elected-officials-demand-gov?page=0Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Freelance Isn't Free Act bill page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S5026Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Wage Payment Integrity Act bill page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S4973/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Data Economy Labor Compensation and Accountability Act bill page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5434Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Direct-to-consumer shipping press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/andrew-gounardes/sen-gounardes-joins-local-spirit-distillers-toastFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Corporate tax loopholes press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/andrew-gounardes/sen-gounardes-unveils-legislation-fight-trump?page=0Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate member profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/andrew-gounardes/aboutFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S2235B
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2235/amendment/BFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate press release on New York For All Act rally
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/andrew-gounardes/sen-gounardes-am-reyes-lawmakers-advocates-rallyFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S2516A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2516/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate press release on legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/andrew-gounardes/sen-gounardes-gutting-legal-services-unaccompaniedFetched: issuePositions
Senator Gounardes Community Portal statement on immigration legislative package
https://www.senatorgounardes.nyc/immigration-legislative-packageFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S2430
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2430Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S3346
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3346Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Transportation Equity Bill Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/andrew-gounardes/senator-gounardes-transportation-equity-bill-wouldFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - CLCPA Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019/andrew-gounardes/senator-gounardes-and-senate-majority-pass-climateFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Empire Wind 1 Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/andrew-gounardes/sen-gounardes-trumps-decision-revoke-approval-empireFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S1117
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1117Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S1673
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1673Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S1674
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1674Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S10685
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10685Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Climate Education Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/andrew-gounardes/sen-gounardes-celebrates-regents-approval-statewideFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Stop Super Speeders Act Included in State Budget
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/andrew-gounardes/sen-gounardes-stop-super-speeders-act-included-stateFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S4045B
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4045/amendment/BFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S2498
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2498Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S2235
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2235/amendment/originalFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S8344
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8344Fetched: issuePositions
LegiScan - New York Senator Andrew Gounardes Bills
https://legiscan.com/NY/people/andrew-gounardes/id/20262?type=billFetched: issuePositions