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SARATOGA SPRINGS – Minita Sanghvi has announced her candidacy for the 44th State Senate District in New York’s Capital Region.
Sanghvi, a Democrat, plans to challenge the seat currently held by Republican Jim Tedisco. The 44th Senate District includes Saratoga County, Niskayuna, and the city of Schenectady.
“I’m running for State Senate because we deserve better,” Sanghvi said, officially announcing her candidacy Jan. 8. “We need a leader who will put people ahead of partisan politics in Albany. I’m not a politician. I’m a parent, business educator, and fiscally responsible public servant. And I’ve built a record of listening to people and working with others to deliver results.”
Born to a conservative family of entrepreneurs and innovators in India, Sanghvi earned a degree in accounting and an MBA, and immigrated to the United States in 2001. She has taught business at Skidmore College for nearly 10 years, and in 2021 was first elected to serve as the Saratoga Springs Finance Commissioner.
Sanghvi was re-elected city Finance Commissioner last November and on Jan. 1 began her second two-year term in the position. With that term slated to last through 2025 and State Senate Elections taking place in November 2024, it is currently unclear how and when her seat at the City Council will be affected.
There are approximately 226,000 active registered voters in the 44th State Senate District – about 176,000 in Saratoga County and 50,000 in Schenectady County, according to the state Board of Elections. Of those, just under 76,000 are registered Democrats and just over 71,000 registered Republicans, with the district-wide balance comprised of about 15,000 registered with other parties, and 64,000 “blanks” – those registered to vote but unaffiliated with any party.
State Senators serve two-year terms. In November 2022, James Tedisco (R, C) defeated Michelle Ostrelich (D, WF).
Sanghvi listed securing infrastructure dollars for bridges and roads, getting more state aid to counties and cities, helping to revitalize downtowns, bringing green and high-tech jobs to communities, and establishing “an innovation corridor” that connects Schenectady and Saratoga among her priorities.
If elected, Sanghvi will be the first openly gay and first woman of color to represent New York’s 44th State Senate District, and the first openly gay woman in the New York Senate.
“I believe in protecting rights and freedoms for all residents, no matter where they live or what political party they belong to,” Sanghvi said in a statement. “I’ll protect women’s access to health care, defend LGBTQ rights, and ensure everyone has an equal shot at the same American Dream this country has given to me.”
