New York State Assembly District 1
Guilford College—bachelor's degree in justice and policy studies; Hofstra University School of Law—J.D.
Data last updated 10/19/2026
Stephen F. Kiely is an attorney and Republican/Conservative candidate for New York State Assembly District 1. He has served as Shelter Island Town Attorney, Mattituck Park District attorney, assistant town attorney for Southampton, Southold and Brookhaven, a special prosecutor for Greenport and Westhampton Dunes, and worked in the Suffolk County Clerk’s office; in 2026 he was reported as working as assistant to the director of the Suffolk County Real Property Tax Service Agency and as special prosecutor for West Hampton Dunes.
Committee Assignments: No committee assignments available.
Stephen Kiely's identifiable healthcare-related position for the 2026 New York State Assembly District 1 race is support for a federal right to abortion.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Kiely supports a federal right to abortion, as listed under Healthcare for his 2026 New York Assembly District 1 candidacy.
SourceStephen Kiely's Economy & Jobs positions emphasize lowering costs for small businesses through reduced taxes and regulations, opposing congestion pricing, and using state enforcement resources against price gouging. He also links East End economic needs to better transportation service and MTA accountability.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Kiely supports reducing taxes and regulations on small businesses as part of his economy platform for New York Assembly District 1.
SourceKiely said transportation is essential to the North Fork local economy and would advocate for better train service across the East End along with stronger MTA accountability.
SourceStephen Kiely supports stronger immigration enforcement in New York, including ending the state's sanctuary-style limits on cooperation with federal immigration authorities. He opposes policies that he says prevent local police from cooperating with ICE and supports rescinding New York's Green Light Law for undocumented immigrants.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Kiely said New York should drop its sanctuary status so the local criminal justice system can interact with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
SourceKiely said sanctuary policies prohibit local police from cooperating with federal authorities to remove convicted criminal migrants and make communities unsafe.
SourceKiely identified immigration enforcement as one of the three main issues of his 2026 Assembly District 1 campaign.
SourceStephen Kiely emphasizes local environmental protection over state mandates, tying climate and energy issues to preserving East End rural character, water quality, and local control. He opposes battery energy storage system mandates and proposes water-quality measures including septic upgrades, fertilizer reduction, lawn-to-meadow grants, and expanded use of Community Preservation Fund revenue for water improvements.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Kiely opposes battery energy storage system mandates as part of a broader platform against overdevelopment and state-imposed changes on the East End.
SourceStephen Kiely's only located Education-specific position for the New York State Assembly District 1 race is that cellphones should not be allowed in schools. No education roll-call votes, co-sponsorships, or additional education policy proposals were found for him because he is a challenger and does not currently hold this legislative seat.
Specific Actions & Proposals
At an October 2024 League of Women Voters debate for New York State Assembly District 1, Kiely said, "There is not one good reason why cellphones belong in school."
SourceStephen Kiely's public safety platform emphasizes tougher criminal-justice policies, especially reforming or repealing New York bail reform and rescinding sanctuary-state policies. He also supports drug-dealer liability for overdose deaths and stronger enforcement tools for marijuana-impaired driving and public smoking restrictions.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Kiely supports giving judges discretion to hold defendants on bail when the judge finds they pose a danger to the public, framing this as a needed reform to New York bail laws.
SourceKiely argued that New York's bail reform laws make communities less safe and should be drastically reformed or repealed entirely.
SourceKiely supports a Death by Dealer law that would allow criminal liability for drug dealers whose drugs cause a fatal overdose.
SourceKiely said he would support rescinding New York's sanctuary-state status and passing legislation requiring local police departments to work with federal authorities to deport criminal migrants.
SourceKiely supports giving local police tools to address driving while smoking marijuana and prohibiting marijuana smoking in public spaces such as sidewalks.
SourceBallotpedia search results
https://www.google.com/search?q=Stephen+Kiely+ballotpedia+New+York+State+Assembly+District+1+Republican+2026Fetched: candidate identity check
North Fork Patch
https://patch.com/new-york/northfork/candidate-profile-stephen-kiely-nys-assembly-district-1-seatFetched: age, location, education, biography
The East Hampton Star
https://www.easthamptonstar.com/government/2024229/north-fork-attorney-eyes-thieles-seatFetched: location, education, biography
RiverheadLOCAL
https://riverheadlocal.com/2024/10/25/1st-ad-stephen-kiely-vs-tommy-john-schiavoni/Fetched: age, location, education, biography
Shelter Island Reporter
https://shelterislandreporter.timesreview.com/2026/10/17/candidate-profiles-kiely-is-once-more-the-challenger/Fetched: biography
Branch
https://www.branch.vote/races/2026-new-york-general-election-ny-state-state-representative-ny-state-house-1/candidates/stephen-kielyFetched: location, education, biography
Suffolk County Board of Elections
https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/BOE/2026-General-Election-Candidate-ListFetched: votingRecord
New York State Board of Elections
https://results.elections.ny.gov/candidate/1379Fetched: votingRecord
The East Hampton Star
https://www.easthamptonstar.com/government/2024926/lot-stake-assembly-raceFetched: endorsements
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Assembly_District_1/51853/830Fetched: endorsements
Branch
https://www.branch.vote/races/2026-new-york-general-election-ny-state-state-representative-ny-state-house-1Fetched: issuePositions
The Suffolk Times
https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2024/10/election-2024-meet-the-candidates-state-assembly-district-1-stephen-kiely/Fetched: issuePositions
East End Beacon
https://www.eastendbeacon.com/candidate-profiles-stephen-kiely-first-state-assembly-district/Fetched: issuePositions
Patch
https://patch.com/new-york/northfork/candidate-profile-stephen-kiely-nys-assembly-district-1-seatFetched: issuePositions
The Suffolk Times
https://suffolktimes.timesreview.com/2026/10/kiely-targets-bail-reform-immigration-in-assembly-rematch/Fetched: issuePositions
The East Hampton Star
https://www.easthamptonstar.com/government/20241010/assembly-candidates-faceFetched: issuePositions
New York State Board of Elections
https://results.elections.ny.gov/contest/5688Fetched: candidateIdentity