New York’s 26th Congressional District is represented by Democrat Tim Kennedy and covers Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and the surrounding suburbs and towns in Erie and Niagara Counties.1Office of U.S. Congressman Timothy M. Kennedy. Our District Kennedy won a special election in 2024 after his predecessor resigned, and the district’s current boundaries were set that same year following a redistricting fight that reached the state’s top court.
Who Represents the District
Tim Kennedy, a former New York State Senator, won the seat in a special election held April 30, 2024. He replaced Brian Higgins, who resigned on February 2, 2024, to become president and CEO of Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo. Kennedy finished out Higgins’s term in the 118th Congress and is now serving in the 119th.
Beyond floor votes in Washington, much of a House member’s day-to-day work is constituent services. Kennedy’s district office helps residents navigate federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the IRS. If you are stuck on a passport application, a VA claim, or a delayed federal benefit, the district office is where to start.
What the District Covers
NY-26 sits entirely within Erie and Niagara Counties in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area.2New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. 2022 Congressional District 26 Buffalo, the largest city in the region, is contained fully within the district’s boundaries.3U.S. Census Bureau. New York Congressional District 26
In Erie County, the district takes in the towns of Amherst, Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, Grand Island, and West Seneca, along with the villages of Kenmore, Williamsville, Depew, and Sloan. The City of Tonawanda and the City of Lackawanna are also inside the line.2New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. 2022 Congressional District 26
On the Niagara County side, the district includes the City of Niagara Falls, the City of North Tonawanda, and the towns of Lewiston, Niagara, Wheatfield, Pendleton, Cambria, Lockport, Wilson, and Porter. The villages of Lewiston, Youngstown, and Wilson are in as well, along with the Tuscarora Nation Reservation.2New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. 2022 Congressional District 26
How the Current Boundaries Were Set
New York’s Independent Redistricting Commission, created by a 2014 constitutional amendment, was supposed to draw the state’s post-2020 congressional map but deadlocked. In December 2023, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that the commission could be compelled to reconvene and finish its work.4New York State Court of Appeals. Matter of Hoffmann v New York State Independent Redistricting Commission The commission submitted new plans in February 2024, the legislature rejected them, and a supermajority of lawmakers passed their own map on February 28, 2024. The governor signed it the same day. For the 26th District, the final boundaries largely preserved the Western New York footprint that had existed in prior cycles.
Voting in NY-26 in 2026
The 2026 primary election is June 23, 2026, and the general election is November 3, 2026.5New York State Board of Elections. 2026 Election Deadlines Poster
Registration and Party Enrollment
New York runs a closed primary. Only voters registered with a political party can vote in that party’s primary.5New York State Board of Elections. 2026 Election Deadlines Poster This is the deadline people miss most often: to vote in the June 2026 primary, you must submit a party enrollment change by February 14, 2026. Changes filed after that date do not take effect until June 30, a week after the primary.6New York State Board of Elections. Registration and Voting Deadlines
The voter registration deadline for the primary is June 13, 2026, whether you register by mail or in person at your county board of elections. For the general election, the registration deadline is October 24, 2026.6New York State Board of Elections. Registration and Voting Deadlines
Early Voting and Mail Ballots
New York offers nine days of in-person early voting before both the primary and general elections. Early voting for the 2026 primary runs June 13 through June 21. For the general election, it runs October 24 through November 1.7New York State Board of Elections. Early Voting
Any registered voter can request an early mail ballot without giving a reason. Under the Early Mail Voter Act, which took effect in January 2024, you apply through your county board of elections. Mailed applications must reach the board at least 10 days before the election; in-person applications are due the day before the election.8New York State Senate. NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7394A Completed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the county board within the timeframe set by state election law.
You can check your registration status, confirm your party enrollment, and find your polling place through the New York State Board of Elections website. Given the February 14 party-change cutoff, it is worth checking your enrollment early in the year if you plan to vote in the primary.6New York State Board of Elections. Registration and Voting Deadlines