VoterLens
New York State Assembly District 141
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Leah Halton-Pope is the Buffalo Common Council member for the Ellicott District and Majority Leader, roles she assumed in January 2024. She previously served as Senior Advisor to Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, worked in government and community relations at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and earlier worked as an Obama for America field organizer and with the Girl Scouts of Western New York on advocacy and special projects.
Committee Assignments: Budget Committee · MWBE Committee · Community Development Committee · Finance Committee · Legislation Committee · Rules Committee
Leah Halton-Pope has publicly identified healthcare as part of her platform and has emphasized reducing barriers to care, especially in Black and brown communities. Her clearest healthcare-specific statement supports mobile cancer screening and bringing care directly into underserved neighborhoods.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Halton-Pope supported Roswell Park's EDDY mobile cancer screening unit, saying it helps break barriers for Black and brown communities and brings healthcare directly to neighborhoods.
SourceDuring her Buffalo Common Council run before becoming the Democratic candidate for Assembly District 141, Halton-Pope ran on a platform that included healthcare along with quality neighborhood schools and home ownership.
SourceLeah Halton-Pope emphasizes affordability, fiscal oversight, infrastructure investment, and neighborhood economic development for Buffalo and Western New York. Her stated Assembly interests include economic development, especially the cannabis industry, and tax/food-security ideas aimed at helping struggling residents.
Specific Actions & Proposals
In a City & State interview about her Assembly campaign, Halton-Pope said she wanted to work on economic development and specifically the cannabis industry, citing her role writing and negotiating cannabis legislation for Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.
SourceHalton-Pope supported the amended 2026 Buffalo Capital Budget and described it as investing millions in emergency services, community centers, schools, parks, public buildings, and Ellicott District priorities.
SourceHer official Buffalo Common Council profile says she aims to use strategic initiatives in economic development, affordable housing, quality education, and improved infrastructure to create opportunity for all residents.
SourceLeah Halton-Pope has expressed a pro-immigrant, due-process position, criticizing ICE activity against an asylum-seeking family in Buffalo and describing immigration enforcement against people posing no threat as weaponized. No New York State Assembly roll-call votes, sponsored bills, or campaign immigration platform items were found for her 2026 Assembly District 141 campaign.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Halton-Pope criticized ICE surveillance of a legally present asylum-seeking Iranian family, calling the stakeout "unconstitutional" and "un-American" and saying it was not about public safety.
SourceHalton-Pope said the family had gone through proper channels, was legally seeking asylum, and questioned why detention would be necessary.
SourceAt a Buffalo Common Council candidate forum, Halton-Pope reportedly emphasized being welcoming of immigrants and working with federal partners to ensure immigrants' rights are respected when asked about Buffalo police sharing license-plate information with federal immigration agencies.
SourcePublic issue-specific material for Leah Halton-Pope in the 2026 New York State Assembly District 141 race is limited: her VOTE411 climate question was unanswered, and no campaign climate platform was found. The clearest Climate & Energy signal found is the New York League of Conservation Voters Gives Green endorsement identifying her among 2026 environmental champions supporting clean air, clean water, and a livable future.
Specific Actions & Proposals
NYLCV Gives Green endorsed Leah Halton-Pope for Assembly District 141 in a Climate Week announcement describing its endorsed slate as candidates who understand environmental stakes and will fight for clean air, clean water, and a livable future.
SourceLeah Halton-Pope has framed education as a core opportunity issue, emphasizing quality education, community schools, and public higher education funding. As a 2026 Democratic candidate for New York State Assembly District 141 and current Buffalo Common Council Majority Leader, her education record located in public sources consists of stated support and advocacy rather than state legislative votes or sponsored bills.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Halton-Pope identified Education as a priority Assembly committee area and said community schools were an item she "wrote and negotiated" while working with Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.
SourceAt a rally for Buffalo State, Halton-Pope supported the call for state funding for public higher education and described Buffalo State as a place of opportunity for first-generation college students.
SourceHer official Buffalo Common Council biography says her strategic initiatives include quality education along with economic development, affordable housing, and infrastructure to foster opportunity for residents.
SourceAt a back-to-school community event, Halton-Pope said education is the foundation for opportunity while supporting school supplies and life-skills programming for children.
SourceLeah Halton-Pope frames public safety around strong neighborhoods, infrastructure, and community-responsive policing: her Buffalo Common Council profile says “strong communities are safe communities,” and her council actions include traffic-safety proposals, police-accountability inquiries, and opposition to placing a temporary police station where nearby residents objected.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Halton-Pope opposed Mayor Scanlon’s plan to temporarily house the Buffalo Police B District station at the former Braymiller Market, saying nearby residents were strongly opposed and that she would stand with the community.
SourceAfter repeated fires at the vacant former St. Ann’s Church property, Halton-Pope said neighborhood safety was being affected and called for some type of interim security.
SourceHer official Buffalo Common Council profile states that she knows “strong communities are safe communities” and links safety to sidewalk repair, business-district improvements, affordable housing, and fair development in the Ellicott District.
SourceBallotReady
https://www.ballotready.org/people/leah-m-halton-popeFetched: biography, office, candidate_status
Spectrum News / New York State of Politics
https://nystateofpolitics.com/state-of-politics/new-york/politics/2026/04/12/leah-halton-pope-named-democratic-candidate-for-141st-assembly-districtFetched: biography, candidate_status
Open States search / office context not found as sitting legislator
https://openstates.org/Fetched: votingRecord
MyRepTracker - Assembly District 141 2026 Election
https://myreptracker.com/new-york/elections/2026/state/house/141Fetched: votingRecord
New York State Board of Elections Public Reporting System
https://publicreporting.elections.ny.gov/Fetched: campaignFinance
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Assembly_District_141/51991/830Fetched: endorsements
CWA Western New York Council
https://cwad1.org/western-new-york-council/political-endorsements-0Fetched: endorsements
New York State United Teachers
https://www.nysut.org/resources/special-resources-sites/voter-guide/endorsementsFetched: endorsements
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
https://www.roswellpark.org/newsroom/202511-roswell-park-expands-eddy-program-regions-first-mobile-screening-center-breastFetched: issuePositions
Yahoo News
https://www.yahoo.com/news/zeneta-everhart-leah-halton-pope-205749906.htmlFetched: issuePositions
Spectrum News NY1
https://ny1.com/nyc/bronx/politics/2026/04/12/leah-halton-pope-named-democratic-candidate-for-141st-assembly-districtFetched: candidateIdentity
Buffalo Toronto Public Media
https://www.btpm.org/local/2026-04-13/halton-pope-selected-to-replace-peoples-stokes-on-assembly-ballotFetched: candidateIdentity
City of Buffalo Common Council
https://www.buffalony.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15013/Buffalo-Common-Council-Adopts-Amended-2025-2026-BudgetFetched: issuePositions
Muyni
https://www.muyni.com/meetings/buffalo-ny-civil-service-committee-2026-10-06-0945Fetched: issuePositions
City & State New York
https://www.cityandstateny.com/personality/2026/08/buffalos-anointed-one-q-leah-halton-pope/415613/Fetched: issuePositions
The Buffalo Criterion Online
https://www.thebuffalocriterion.com/local-news-1/buffalo-common-council-amends-approves-2026-capital-budgetFetched: issuePositions
Investigative Post
https://investigativepost.org/2025/07/01/ice-targets-iranian-family-in-buffalo-here-legally/Fetched: issuePositions
Yahoo News/WIVB
https://www.yahoo.com/news/buffalo-neighbors-leaders-speak-against-020613676.htmlFetched: issuePositions
Reddit r/Buffalo forum recap
https://www.reddit.com/r/Buffalo/comments/143km12Fetched: issuePositions
NY1
https://ny1.com/nyc/bronx/politics/2026/04/12/leah-halton-pope-named-democratic-candidate-for-141st-assembly-districtFetched: candidateIdentity
The Ballot Brief
https://theballotbrief.com/state/new-york/erie-county/new-york-assembly-district-141Fetched: candidateIdentity
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://www.nylcv.org/press-item/during-nyc-climate-week-nylcv-gives-green-announces-final-round-of-2026-endorsements/Fetched: issuePositions
VOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/race-detail.do?id=26977865Fetched: issuePositions
Partnership for the Public Good
https://ppgbuffalo.org/news-and-events/news/article:01-17-2025-12-00am-buffalo-common-council-summary-week-of-january-13-2025/Fetched: issuePositions
United University Professions
https://uupinfo.org/communications/releases/260310.phpFetched: issuePositions
Buffalo Toronto Public Media
https://www.btpm.org/local/2025-08-26/hamlins-back-to-school-event-highlights-heart-health-and-community-supportFetched: issuePositions
WKBW 7 News Buffalo
https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/buffalo/lets-be-proactive-buffalo-common-council-members-propose-banning-sale-of-atvs-in-the-cityFetched: issuePositions
Buffalo Toronto Public Media
https://www.btpm.org/local/2025-08-24/braymiller-building-buffalo-grocery-store-rally-downtown-leah-halton-pope-chris-scanlonFetched: issuePositions
The Catholic Herald
https://thecatholicherald.com/article/fire-in-new-york-church-confirmed-as-arsonFetched: issuePositions