Nicholas Sokaris

Nicholas Sokaris earned a high school diploma from Guilderland High School. Sokaris' career experience includes working as a legislative staffer.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Nick Sokaris, and I’m running for State Assembly because I believe Upstate New York needs a stronger voice in Albany. I grew up understanding the challenges families, workers, small business owners, farmers, and first responders face every day as costs continue to rise and state government becomes more disconnected from the people it represents.

Before running for office, I worked for nearly four years as a legislative analyst in the New York State Assembly, where I saw firsthand how decisions made in Albany impact our communities. That experience showed me both how government works and where it is failing the people of this district.

My campaign is focused on affordability, common sense solutions, and making state government more accountable to the taxpayers who fund it. I want to reduce unnecessary regulations that drive up the cost of housing, energy, childcare, and doing business in New York while supporting policies that help families stay and succeed here instead of feeling forced to leave the state.

I’m running to bring practical leadership, a strong Upstate perspective, and an independent voice that listens to the people of Schenectady and Montgomery Counties

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Housing Affordability and Smart Growth:

New York’s housing costs are out of control because Albany keeps piling on regulations that make building more expensive and limit what communities can create. I support modernizing outdated building codes, reducing unnecessary mandates, encouraging smart development, and making it easier to build affordable starter homes, apartments, and housing in general. We need policies that help young people, working families, and seniors be able to afford to stay in the communities they love.A Stronger Voice for Upstate New York:

For too long, Upstate New York has been treated like an afterthought by downstate politicians who do not understand our communities or priorities. I support building a stronger “Upstate Caucus” in the legislature so representatives across Upstate can work together to fight for fair funding, economic growth, infrastructure investment, support for agriculture and manufacturing, and policies that reflect the needs of Upstate families, workers, and small businesses. Upstate deserves a stronger, more united voice in Albany.Common Sense Solutions and Accountability:

I’m running to bring practical, common sense leadership back to government. That means lowering costs for families, supporting small businesses and first responders, protecting constitutional rights, improving government accountability, and cutting unnecessary regulations that make life harder and more expensive. I believe state government should work for the people, not political insiders, and I will always put the interests of this district first.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am particularly passionate about policies focused on affordability, housing, government efficiency, childcare, and supporting Upstate New York’s local economies. I believe New York needs to modernize outdated housing and building regulations that drive up costs and make it harder for young families and workers to afford to live here. I am also passionate about improving efficiency and accountability in government spending, procurement, and contracting so taxpayer money is used responsibly and effectively. I support expanding childcare options and reducing daycare costs through smarter regulations and policies that give families more flexibility.