VoterLens
New York State Senate District 43
State University of New York at Albany—MA, Public History; State University of New York at Plattsburgh—BA, History
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Devin Lander is a Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 43 in 2026. He is New York's 16th State Historian and Head of Museum Chartering for the State Education Department; previously, he served as Executive Director of the Museum Association of New York and as Deputy Legislative and Policy Director for New York State Assembly committees on tourism, arts, parks, sports development, and governmental operations.
Committee Assignments: No committee assignments available.
Devin Lander, the Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 43 in 2026, frames healthcare as an affordability and access issue. His campaign says he supports lowering prescription drug costs, expanding insurance coverage for life-saving medications, protecting residents from medical debt, and improving access to quality healthcare including rural access.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Lander's campaign healthcare platform says he will fight to lower the cost of prescription drugs, expand insurance coverage for life-saving medications, and protect against medical debt.
SourceIn his VOTE411 candidate response for New York State Senate District 43, Lander listed access to quality healthcare among the real policies needed to support working families facing high costs, stagnant wages, lack of benefits, and childcare costs.
SourceA Power & Politics episode description identifies Devin Lander as running for New York State Senate District 43 and notes that he discussed his platforms on healthcare, environmental issues, utility costs, and Flock cameras.
SourceDevin Lander’s Economy & Jobs platform emphasizes affordability, support for working families, fully funded education and workforce pathways, infrastructure investment, and bringing more state resources to New York Senate District 43. He also frames utility costs, stagnant wages, lack of benefits, childcare costs, and rural infrastructure as economic pressures he would address if elected.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Lander says he would crack down on utility companies, limit excessive charges and unfair rate hikes, and fight to make life more affordable for ratepayers.
SourceLander identifies supporting working families as a top priority and says he would back policies addressing the high cost of living, stagnant wages, lack of benefits, childcare costs, access to healthcare, and other worker pressures.
SourceLander says he would support fully funded public schools and all post-high-school pathways to success, including trade schools, apprenticeship programs, and college.
SourceLander says he would work to secure long-needed infrastructure improvements so Upstate residents can thrive, including updates to aging district infrastructure.
SourceDevin Lander has not released a broad immigration platform, but his campaign frames ICE activity and Trump administration actions as federal overreach against New Yorkers. In a science-policy questionnaire, he supports state-level help for international STEM students and researchers and a more secure, predictable visa system.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Lander's campaign says ICE is attacking citizens and says he will stand up to the Trump administration to protect New Yorkers from federal overreach.
SourceLander supports New York working with universities and employers on research opportunities, fellowships, legal and administrative support, and retention programs for highly trained STEM graduates affected by federal visa changes.
SourceLander says he would work with New York's congressional delegation to push for a visa system that is secure, predictable, and does not drive talented researchers elsewhere.
SourceDevin Lander emphasizes affordability and environmental health: he supports cracking down on utility companies and rate hikes, expanding consumer protections for ratepayers, ensuring disadvantaged communities in the 43rd District receive environmental funding, and protecting communities affected by Hudson River PCB/PFAS contamination. He also supports building renewable energy, grid electrification, transmission upgrades, and resiliency infrastructure, while expressing caution about local control for solar siting and safety/cost/waste issues for nuclear energy.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Lander says New York should guarantee consumer protections before allowing utility rate increases so ratepayer money is used to improve communities.
SourceLander says communities have been harmed by PCBs and PFAS in the Hudson River and pledges to demand proper cleanup at sites like Fort Edward while preventing negative effects from data centers.
SourceIn an Abundance New York questionnaire, Lander agreed that New York should prioritize public and private construction of renewable energy, grid electrification, transmission upgrades, and resiliency infrastructure to meet climate goals and adapt infrastructure.
SourceDevin Lander supports fully funding public schools in New York State Senate District 43 and argues that Upstate school districts need resources to restore or protect programs such as art, music, language, libraries, and sports. He also supports postsecondary pathways including trade schools, apprenticeships, and college.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Lander says he will fight to ensure schools are fully funded so every child has access to high-quality public education regardless of zip code.
SourceLander says students often need further education after high school and specifically identifies trade schools, apprenticeship programs, and college as needed pathways.
SourceLander says that as a Democrat and Working Families Party-endorsed candidate he would bring resources back for schools and communities in the district.
SourceDevin Lander frames public safety for New York State Senate District 43 around funding local police and first responders, supporting gun-safety-aligned advocacy, and protecting access to emergency disaster aid based on community need. No legislative voting record was found because he is a 2026 candidate, not the sitting state senator.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Lander states that he will fight to fully fund police and first responders as part of local investment in public services for the 43rd District.
SourceLander lists Moms Demand Action as a campaign endorsement, and VOTE411 identifies him as a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, indicating support for gun-safety policy priorities.
SourceLander called for federal disaster assistance and emergency funds to be distributed based on need rather than partisan considerations, arguing that Capital Region communities should receive resources when crises hit.
SourceNew York State Board of Elections
https://elections.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/05/accessible-june-23-2026-primary-certification-amended-4.30.26-.pdfFetched: identity, office, district, party
The New York State Museum
https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/research-collections/state-history/devin-r-landerFetched: biography, education, professional background
Times Union
https://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Downgraded-New-York-State-Historian-stirs-ruckus-8351280.phpFetched: age, location, biography
BallotReady
https://www.ballotready.org/people/devin-r-landerFetched: identity, office, district, professional background, education
Ballot Card - NY State Senate District 43
https://ballot-card.com/ny/sldu-43/state-senateFetched: votingRecord
Transparency USA - Devin Lander
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/candidate/devin-landerFetched: campaignFinance
VOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/m/candidate-detail.do?id=73189172Fetched: issuePositions
Abundance New York Candidate Questionnaire
https://voterguide.abundanceny.org/questionnaires/devin-landerFetched: issuePositions
VOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/race-detail.do?id=26975456Fetched: issuePositions
Scientist Network for Advancing Policy
https://snapcoalition.org/initiatives/stance-on-science/candidates/ny/devin-landerFetched: issuePositions
Abundance New York Voter Guide
https://voterguide.abundanceny.org/questionnaires/devin-landerFetched: issuePositions