VoterLens
New York State Senate District 44
Hillsdale College—B.A.; Seton Hall University—M.A.; Seton Hall University—J.D.; Southern Methodist University—LL.M.
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Sarah Rogerson is a public-interest attorney, immigration law expert, and Albany Law School professor running for New York State Senate District 44. She founded Albany Law School’s Immigration Law Clinic and directs the Edward P. Swyer Justice Center; she previously worked as a housing justice and immigrant-rights public-interest attorney in Newark, New Jersey and Dallas, Texas. She also served on the Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education from 2020 to 2023.
Committee Assignments: No committee assignments available.
Sarah Rogerson frames healthcare as a core campaign priority for New York State Senate District 44, emphasizing reproductive rights, universal single-payer coverage through the New York Health Act, lower out-of-pocket costs, and protecting access to local care. She also says the state legislature should scrutinize healthcare business practices such as hospital consolidation and non-compete agreements affecting providers.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rogerson says passing the New York Health Act, creating a single-payer universal healthcare system for New Yorkers, would be one of her top priorities as state senator.
SourceRogerson criticized non-competes imposed on cardiologists after local hospital merger issues and said District 44 needs a Senate-side advocate to work with Assembly sponsors on a bill banning such non-competes in public health settings.
SourceSarah Rogerson emphasizes affordability and working-family economics, including lowering utility, housing, and health-care costs, supporting union labor, and requiring the ultra-rich to pay more. She also supports clean-energy and community economic development as job-creation strategies, including good-paying green jobs, workforce training, small-business incentives, and support for small farmers.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rogerson supports capping utility bills at a percentage of income and exploring other state-level measures to keep families from being squeezed by utility companies.
SourceRogerson says she will fight to create good-paying green jobs, prioritize union labor, expand workforce training, and build resilient infrastructure as part of climate and energy policy.
SourceRogerson supports investments in clean, affordable energy, community solar, weatherization, grid upgrades, and housing near jobs and infrastructure to lower costs and create good-paying jobs.
SourceRogerson calls for robust community economic development, incentives for family-owned businesses in marginalized communities, substantial support for small farmers, and review of red-tape regulations that needlessly hamper local businesses.
SourceRogerson identifies passing the New York Health Act as a top priority, describing universal single-payer health care as a way to eliminate premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and prescription drug costs for New Yorkers.
SourceSarah Rogerson supports stronger state protections for immigrant New Yorkers, including limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, keeping immigration enforcement out of sensitive locations, and guaranteeing counsel for people facing deportation. She frames immigration enforcement as a due-process and community-safety issue, emphasizing protections for families, schools, hospitals, places of worship, crime victims, and people seeking medical care.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rogerson said New York should limit cooperation whenever federal immigration enforcement disproportionately impacts historically minoritized groups or violates New Yorkers' constitutional rights, and that cooperation should require due process, notice, hearings, and probable cause.
SourceRogerson's campaign states that immigration enforcement should be kept out of schools, hospitals, and places of worship so families feel safe seeking care, reporting crimes, and participating in community life.
SourceRogerson authored an opinion piece urging New York to pass the Access to Representation Act, which would provide lawyers to immigrants in removal proceedings who cannot afford counsel.
SourceSarah Rogerson supports major investments in clean, affordable energy, full implementation of New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, expanded renewable energy, and infrastructure upgrades to reduce fossil-fuel reliance and lower utility bills. Her climate platform also emphasizes transit electrification, zero-emission public buildings, weatherization, community solar, grid resilience, and green union jobs.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rogerson says her priorities include fully implementing the CLCPA while investing more aggressively in clean energy infrastructure.
SourceRogerson supports major investments in clean, affordable energy to lower utility bills while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
SourceRogerson supports expanding community solar, weatherizing older homes, and upgrading the grid for reliability during extreme weather.
SourceRogerson supports investing in clean, reliable public transit in underfunded upstate and suburban areas, including CDTA bus electrification and accelerated zero-emission buses.
SourceIn an October 2026 interview, Rogerson said the state legislature should explore ways to curb fuel-cost hikes and update the electrical grid while pursuing climate-friendly alternative energy sources.
SourceSarah Rogerson’s education record centers on her 2020–2023 service on the Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education and public advocacy for student mental health, equity and inclusion, school safety, and community-responsive school governance. In her 2026 NY Senate District 44 campaign materials, she does not appear to list a standalone education platform, but her verified education-related statements emphasize proactive supports over punitive school-safety measures.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rogerson argued that schools should use social-emotional learning, mental health supports, equity and inclusion work, restorative practices, and comprehensive counseling to prevent violence and support students.
SourceSpeaking as vice president of a Schenectady County school board, Rogerson said her board was focused on students’ mental health and wellbeing, school climate, adult role-modeling, and safety after the pandemic and amid school-security concerns.
SourceSarah Rogerson frames public safety around protecting immigrant communities, preventing gun violence, and supporting first responders. She supports keeping immigration enforcement out of sensitive places, guaranteeing legal representation, safe storage and red-flag gun laws, threat assessment, school-based supports, and better trauma care for first responders.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rogerson says she is committed to safe storage, red flag laws, multidisciplinary threat assessment, and school-based social-emotional support and education to prevent community gun violence.
SourceRogerson's campaign biography says she worked on safe storage of firearms while serving on the Niskayuna School Board.
SourceIn an Albany Muslim Advocacy Coalition questionnaire for the 44th Senate District race, Rogerson said New York should limit cooperation when federal immigration enforcement disproportionately affects historically minoritized groups or violates constitutional rights, and that cooperation should require due process and probable cause.
SourceIn the VOTE411 guide for New York Senate District 44, Rogerson said she would prioritize advancing New York for All/Dignity Not Detention and legislation creating a civil right of action against federal agents who violate New Yorkers' constitutional rights.
SourceRogerson lists a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate designation among her campaign endorsements, signaling support for gun-safety policies.
SourceNew York State Board of Elections
https://elections.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/05/accessible-june-23-2026-primary-certification-amended-5.13.26_0.pdfFetched: biography
Albany Law School
https://www.albanylaw.edu/faculty/faculty-directory/sarah-f-rogerson?page=0Fetched: biography
Times Union
https://www.timesunion.com/projects/2026/saratoga-county-primary-ballot//Fetched: biography
Sarah Rogerson for NY State Senate District 44
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/Fetched: votingRecord, campaignFinance
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/race/new-york-state-senate-district-44-74484Fetched: campaignFinance
New York State Public Campaign Finance Board
https://pcfb.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/06/commissioner-report-for-the-approval-to-disburse-public-matching-funds-06.01.2026.pdfFetched: campaignFinance
Sarah Rogerson for NY State Senate District 44 Endorsements
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/endorsementsFetched: endorsements
Blue Voter Guide New York State Senate District 44
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Senate_District_44/37047/564Fetched: endorsements
Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee
https://www.saratogadems.org/saratoga-springs-democrats-announce-unanimous-2026-endorsements/Fetched: endorsements
Eleanor's Legacy 2026 Endorsements
https://eleanorslegacy.squarespace.com/endorsements26-1Fetched: endorsements
Sway 2026 New York State Senate District 44 Endorsements
https://www.sway.co/race/new-york-state-senate-district-44-dde879fe-788b-4d96-b6d3-59f360808960Fetched: endorsements
Sarah Rogerson campaign website
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/issues/healthcare-without-fearFetched: issuePositions
WAMC Northeast Public Radio
https://www.wamc.org/news/2026-10-12/democrat-sarah-rogerson-talks-priorities-for-44th-senate-district-ahead-of-electionFetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson campaign cost-of-living page
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/issues/cost-of-living-in-crisisFetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson campaign planning for a changing future page
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/issues/planning-for-a-changing-futureFetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson campaign in this together page
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/issues/in-this-togetherFetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson campaign healthcare page
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/issues/healthcare-without-fearFetched: issuePositions
VOTE411 New York Senate District 44 voter guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/m/race-detail.do?id=26975455Fetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson campaign issues page
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/issues/protecting-our-communitiesFetched: issuePositions
Albany Muslim Advocacy Coalition candidate questionnaire
https://www.albanymac.org/2026_senate_candidate_questionaireFetched: issuePositions
City & State New York opinion by Sarah Rogerson
https://www.cityandstateny.com/opinion/2023/04/opinion-new-york-must-pass-access-representation-act-immigrants-facing-deportation/385023/Fetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson campaign website
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/issues/planning-for-a-changing-futureFetched: issuePositions
VOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/m/race-detail.do?id=26975455Fetched: issuePositions
WAMC Northeast Public Radio
https://www.wamc.org/news/2026-10-12/democrat-sarah-rogerson-talks-priorities-for-44th-senate-district-ahead-of-election?_amp=trueFetched: issuePositions
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Senate_District_44/51833/830Fetched: issuePositions
VOTE411 Voter Guide
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/candidate-detail.do?id=73189174Fetched: issuePositions
Education Week
https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-we-can-do-more-to-stop-school-shootings/2022/06Fetched: issuePositions
PBS New York NOW
https://www.pbs.org/video/special-episode-thanksgiving-2022-plcuqv/Fetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson for NY State Senate - Protecting Our Communities
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/issues/protecting-our-communitiesFetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson for NY State Senate - About
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/aboutFetched: issuePositions
Albany Muslim Advocacy Coalition
https://www.albanymac.org/2026_senate_candidate_questionaireFetched: issuePositions
Sarah Rogerson for NY State Senate - Endorsements
https://www.sarahfornysenate.com/endorsementsFetched: issuePositions