New York State Senate District 11 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in New York, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for New York State Senate District 11 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for New York State Senate District 11

Incumbent Toby Ann Stavisky defeated Stefano Forte in the general election for New York State Senate District 11 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Toby Ann Stavisky (D / Working Families Party)	56.7	38,524
		Stefano Forte (R / Conservative Party)	43.2	29,378
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	41

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 67,943
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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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?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

We must be tough on crime and prevent violent criminals from walking our streets.

We need to protect the integrity of our education system and provide our children with opportunities to succeed.

We must create an environment for small businesses to thrive by lowering their regulation and tax burdens.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

I am passionate about ending the indiscriminate cashless bail system that has caused crime to skyrocket across the state. Too many innocent lives are being taken from us by career criminals released onto our streets, while the bureaucrats in Albany take no responsibility for this law.

I believe in protecting gifted and talented programs for our student's education. We should be rewarding exceedingly bright students with programs that can expedite their social and academic growth to create the next leaders of our country.

I want to instate a one-year tax moratorium for small businesses closed due to the pandemic. While small businesses closed their doors, big corporations flourished at the expense of the government's mandates because of COVID-19.

I will propose legislation to issue a $10,000 forgivable loan for new families in New York. If you remain in New York for five years, your loan is completely forgiven. New York should become the prime place to make a family again in the United States.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

I look up to Teddy Roosevelt. He was a man who understood how to fight back against adversity, who to strive for something more than himself and come out on top, a man who understood that the fight is all that there is in life. He taught me if you lose that fight, know that there's always another one around the corner. Besides, I strongly supported his presidency.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

Patience, courage, determination.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

I want my neighbors and my neighborhood to be better off than when I took office.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

The first historical event that I lived through was 9/11, I was two at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

My very first job was working at the Bellnord Hotel and handling credit card transactions. I had it for about a year and a half.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

Overcoming a learning disability like dyslexia to eventually become the president of my honor roll.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

The state legislature should act as a watchdog against the governor and understand that they have a symbiotic relationship. One cannot be more powerful than the other.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

My state's most significant challenges are overcoming single-party rule, lowering crime, improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers and ensuring that our state is prosperous, safe, and free from tyranny.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

Absolutely not. Many of our founding fathers were young, and many of the best legislators had prior professions.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

I like an independent redistricting commission.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

Theodore Roosevelt

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

Yes, I believe they should oversee and allow for emergency powers in incredibly rare situations, however in a state-run by single-party rule like in New York, the state legislature was too eager to hand off emergency powers to a power-hungry maniac like Andrew Cuomo and his successor Kathy Hochul

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Stefano Forte (Republican, Conservative)

In some instances, compromise is the only way to govern; in others, you must stand on your principles and understand that you are on the right side of history.

See also

More about these elections:

• New York State Senate elections, 2022

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