Community organizer running to replace outgoing state senator ...

Sarah Blas has lived in Staten Island for over 20 years. She has 6 children.

New York Candidates - Run For Something

Sarah founded the Staten Island Therapeutic Gardens organization, which focuses on food justice and public health.

Sarah Blas - Ballotpedia

Sarah previously ran for New York State Senate in 2022 to represent the North Shore district but did not win.

Supports expanding small business incubators, providing access to capital, and streamlining licensing and tax filing processes.

Supports expanding union and apprenticeship pipelines by partnering with schools and unions to create pathways for youth to enter skilled trades.

Supports small business sustainability through emergency planning, rapid response funding, and recovery programs.

Supports bringing back the Participatory Budgeting Program so residents can vote on community projects.

- Supports expanding small business incubators, providing access to capital, and streamlining licensing and tax filing processes.
- Supports expanding union and apprenticeship pipelines by partnering with schools and unions to create pathways for youth to enter skilled trades.
- Supports small business sustainability through emergency planning, rapid response funding, and recovery programs.
- Supports bringing back the Participatory Budgeting Program so residents can vote on community projects.

Economy

Supports food justice and healthy communities through gardening.

Supports food justice and healthy communities through therapeutic gardening.

Plans to provide seniors with personalized constituent services to ensure they receive all tax benefits and services they are entitled to upon turning 65.

Plans to provide seniors with personalized services to ensure they receive all tax benefits and services they are entitled to upon turning 65.

Supports expanding door-to-door transportation for children with disabled parents and caregivers.

- Supports food justice and healthy communities through therapeutic gardening.
- Plans to provide seniors with personalized services to ensure they receive all tax benefits and services they are entitled to upon turning 65.
- Supports expanding door-to-door transportation for children with disabled parents and caregivers.

Public Services

Opposes the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which she believes will privatize public housing.

Supports open government incentives and discounts for repairs that reduce the city's costs for health and housing security, such as addressing mold, leaks, insulation, weatherproofing, and pests.

Supports incentives and discounts for repairs that reduce the city's costs for health and housing security, such as addressing mold, leaks, insulation, weatherproofing, and pests.

Wants to "delete outdated policies that fine and unfairly hurt the most vulnerable: renters in the housing search; new homeowners, seniors and the disabled."

Wants to "delete outdated policies that fine and unfairly hurt the most vulnerable: renters in the housing search; new homeowners, seniors, and the disabled."

- Opposes the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which she believes will privatize public housing.
- Supports incentives and discounts for repairs that reduce the city's costs for health and housing security, such as addressing mold, leaks, insulation, weatherproofing, and pests.
- Wants to "delete outdated policies that fine and unfairly hurt the most vulnerable: renters in the housing search; new homeowners, seniors, and the disabled."

Housing & Urban Development

Supports domestic violence prevention and promoting resources through community radio.

Supports fully funding juvenile-based programs for Staten Island youth.

Supports funding health-based crime prevention strategies, such as behavioral crisis response teams and cure violence programs.

Believes in advocating for the dignity and respect of every NYPD officer, their families, and the people they protect and serve.

- Supports domestic violence prevention and promoting resources through community radio.
- Supports fully funding juvenile-based programs for Staten Island youth.
- Supports funding health-based crime prevention strategies, such as behavioral crisis response teams and cure violence programs.
- Believes in advocating for the dignity and respect of every NYPD officer, their families, and the people they protect and serve.

Public Safety

As of September 3, 2025, Sarah Blas’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Wants to increase education and incentives for homeowners to plant native plants.

Plans to ensure homes are storm-resilient, preserve wetlands and green spaces as natural storm buffers, and protect natural spaces from predatory development.

- Wants to increase education and incentives for homeowners to plant native plants.
- Plans to ensure homes are storm-resilient, preserve wetlands and green spaces as natural storm buffers, and protect natural spaces from predatory development.

Energy & the Environment

Supports access to contraceptives and abortion services.

Supports the construction of Staten Island’s first public hospital.

- Supports Medicare for All.
- Supports access to contraceptives and abortion services.
- Supports the construction of Staten Island’s first public hospital.

Healthcare

Supports increased funding for neighborhood community officers and their integration into public school and community forum programming.

Supports expanding public school services by fully funding schools from early intervention to college readiness programs.

- Supports increased funding for neighborhood community officers and their integration into public school and community forum programming.
- Supports expanding public school services by fully funding schools from early intervention to college readiness programs.

Education

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Sarah Blas

- Supports food justice and healthy communities through therapeutic gardening.

- Opposes the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which she believes will privatize public housing.

- Supports domestic violence prevention and promoting resources through community radio.

- Supports Medicare for All.
- Supports access to contraceptives and abortion services.

Sarah has lived in Staten Island for over 20 years. She has 6 children.

Sarah Blas previously ran for New York State Senate in 2022 to represent the North Shore district but did not win.

As of September 3, 2025, Sarah Blas did not have a website or any information online.

Buket Urgen

John is from Staten Island. He attended both public and Catholic schools while growing up. He lives with his wife and three daughters on the North Shore.

John previously worked as a firefighter and a police officer for the city of New York. 

John Shea (New York) - Ballotpedia

John Shea's campaign for New York City City Council, District 49 is his first run for public office. 

Supports tax cuts, reducing the cost of living, and small businesses.

- Supports tax cuts, reducing the cost of living, and small businesses.

As of September 3, 2025, John Shea’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports law enforcement and aims to keep violent criminals off the streets.

- Supports law enforcement and aims to keep violent criminals off the streets.

Supports expanded school choice, greater parental involvement, and a curriculum that prepares students for success.

- Supports expanded school choice, greater parental involvement, and a curriculum that prepares students for success.

John Shea

John Shea is from Staten Island. He attended both public and Catholic schools while growing up. He lives with his wife and three daughters on the North Shore.

John is a current member of the New York City Council, representing District 49. He was first elected in 2023 and is serving his first term. 

As of September 3, 2025, John Shea did not have a website or any information online.

Supports tax cuts, small businesses, and reducing the cost of living.

District 49 - Kamillah Hanks

Kamillah Hanks is a lifelong Staten Island resident. She studied marketing and finance at the College of Staten Island and is a mother of four.

Kamillah previously led the Downtown Staten Island Council and worked in public relations. She founded the Historic Tappen Park Community Partnership and launched Staten Island’s first YouthBuild program.

Kamillah Hanks - The New York City Council

Kamillah currently serves as a New York City Council Member for District 49. She was first elected in 2021 and is serving her first term.

As of September 3, 2025, Kamillah Hanks did not have a website or any information online.

As a city council member, delivered over $61 million in funding for schools, parks, healthcare, and community initiatives.

- As a city council member, delivered over $61 million in funding for schools, parks, healthcare, and community initiatives.

Supports increasing transparency and accountability in the real property tax assessment process.

- Supports increasing transparency and accountability in the real property tax assessment process.

Prioritizes public safety through innovative projects like Staten Island's first Community Justice Center.

- Prioritizes public safety through innovative projects like Staten Island's first Community Justice Center.

As a city council member, secured $426 million for the North Shore waterfront revitalization project.

- As a city council member, secured $426 million for the North Shore waterfront revitalization project.

Sponsored a bill requiring public officials to be notified about the installation of energy storage systems.

- Sponsored a bill requiring public officials to be notified about the installation of energy storage systems.

Kamillah Hanks

- As a city council member, worked to secure $7 million in funding for the expansion of Richmond University Medical Center's neonatal and pediatric intensive care units.

- Established the first YouthBuild program on Staten Island, providing unemployed and out-of-school young adults with advanced vocational education, leadership development, job training, and essential life skills.

Kamillah is a lifelong Staten Island resident. She studied marketing and finance at the College of Staten Island and is a mother of four.

Kamillah Hanks currently serves as a New York City Council Member for District 49. She was first elected in 2021 and is serving her first term.

- City Council Members work together to enact local laws, approve the city budget, and oversee land use and zoning regulations. ​
- Council Members oversee city agencies, ensuring they effectively serve the public and address community needs. ​

Passes laws and regulations for your city