New York's 30th State Senate district is one of 63 districts in the New York State Senate. It has been represented by Democrat Cordell Cleare since 2021.[3]
District 30 is primarily based in Harlem in northern Manhattan, but also includes portions of East Harlem, the Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights, and Washington Heights.[1][4]
The district overlaps with New York's 10th, 12th, and 13th congressional districts, and with the 67th, 68th, 69th, 70th, 71st, and 72nd districts of the New York State Assembly.[5]
Then-incumbent senator Brian Benjamin resigned in 2021 after being appointed by Kathy Hochul as Lieutenant Governor of New York, rooting from the resignation of Andrew Cuomo.[9] The special election was held on the same day as general citywide elections, including the mayoral, city council and borough presidential elections.[10]
In special elections for state legislative offices, primaries are usually not held - county committee members for each party select nominees.[11]