State Assembly Member Daniel Norber announced he will not seek reelection to the 16th Assembly District seat on Friday, Feb. 20, stepping away after a single term marked by a historic party shift and controversy over his residency.
“After thoughtful reflection, I have decided I will not seek reelection to represent the 16th Assembly District in the New York State Assembly,” Norber said in a statement. He called serving the district “one of the greatest honors of my life” and thanked voters for their trust.
Norber, a Republican, was sworn into office in 2025 after defeating incumbent Democrat Gina Sillitti by about 1,000 votes in the Nov. 5 election. His victory made him the first Republican in more than 50 years to represent the 16th District — which includes the North Hempstead Villages of Great Neck, North Hills, East Hills, Flower Hill, Roslyn Estates and Lake Success, as well as the hamlets of Roslyn Heights, Port Washington and Manhasset — in the Assembly.
Throughout his campaign and time in Albany, Norber focused on affordability and public safety, citing concerns about bail reform, synthetic opioids and illegal guns. He also criticized state immigration policies, saying they strained local municipalities.
“Public service, however, comes with real sacrifices,” Norber said in his announcement. “I am first and foremost a husband, a father and a son. After careful consideration, I have concluded that this is the right moment to step back from elected office and devote more time and attention to my family.”
He thanked several local Republican leaders, including Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jen DeSena, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip and Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph G. Cairo Jr.
Norber’s tenure also included scrutiny over his residency.
A good government group, Concerned Citizens of NY-03, filed a report with Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz requesting an investigation into whether he violated state election law. The group alleged Norber publicly disclosed voting in Queens County in November 2023, less than a year before the 2024 election, raising questions about whether he met the one-year residency requirement to run in the district. Norber provided a lease to the Nassau County Board of Elections as proof of residency.
Democrat Kim Keiserman, who announced her candidacy for the 16th District seat in January, said Norber’s decision underscores what she described as a lack of effective representation over the past year.
“In a way, it makes my race more interesting and more exciting,” Keiserman said. “But I think we have to take a moment to really reflect on what a disservice the past year has been for our community, when we have a party that prioritizes winning at any cost over actual public service.”
Keiserman criticized what she called missed votes and a lack of community presence, saying residents “deserve to be represented by someone who is present in the community, active as a policymaker, and absolutely committed to serving every resident of the district.”
She said she is “absolutely committed to restoring the standard of leadership and representation that we deserve in this community.”
Keiserman’s campaign has centered on affordability, public education, environmental protection and reproductive rights, as well as what she described as the need for a more accessible and engaged representative in Albany.
Norber said he hopes his service demonstrated that constituents’ priorities “were my priorities and that the trust you placed in me was never taken lightly.”
“May God bless you all, and may God continue to bless the great state of New York,” he said.
