New York's 21st congressional district

"NY-21" redirects here. The term may also refer to New York State Route 21.

New York's 21st congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries
Representative	Elise Stefanik R–Schuylerville
Distribution	57.70% rural 42.30% urban
Population (2023)	767,195
Median household income	$70,193
Ethnicity	87.0% White 4.2% Two or more races 4.1% Hispanic 2.4% Black 1.1% Asian 0.8% Native American 0.4% other
Cook PVI	R+9

New York's 21st congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives that is represented by Republican Elise Stefanik. On November 11, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Stefanik to serve as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. If confirmed by the Senate, this would create a vacancy in her district, prompting a special election to fill the seat.

The district is rural and it includes the cities of Ogdensburg, Glens Falls, and Plattsburgh. The district includes most of the Adirondack Mountains and the Thousand Islands region. It borders Vermont to the east and Canada to the north. It also includes Fort Drum of the U.S. Army.

History

From 2003 to 2013, the district with that number contained most of the Capital District of New York. It included all or parts of Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie counties. It contained the cities of Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Amsterdam, Cohoes, Watervliet, Gloversville, and Johnstown. Up until 1980, the 21st district was located in Upper Manhattan (including parts of Harlem and Washington Heights), and The Bronx.

From 2013 to present: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Montgomery, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Warren, and Washington counties, and parts of Jefferson, Otsego, and Rensselaer counties.

Recent statewide election results

Year	Office	Results
1992	President	Clinton 48–34%
1996	President	Clinton 57–30%
2000	President	G. W. Bush 56–39%
2004	President	G. W. Bush 55–43%
2008	President	Obama 58–40%
2012	President	Obama 52–46%
2016	President	Trump 54–40%
2020	President	Trump 54–43%

List of members representing the district

1813–1821: two seats

From the creation of the district in 1813 to 1821, two seats were apportioned, elected at-large on a general ticket.

Congress	Years	Seat A			Seat B
		Representative	Party	Electoral history	Representative	Party	Electoral history
13th	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815	Samuel M. Hopkins (New York)	Federalist	Elected in 1812. [data missing]	Nathaniel W. Howell (Canandaigua)	Federalist	Elected in 1812. [data missing]
14th	March 4, 1815 – January 23, 1816	Micah Brooks (East Bloomfield)	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1814. [data missing]	Peter Buell Porter (Buffalo)	Democratic-Republican	Re-elected in 1814. Resigned to become a commissioner under the Treaty of Ghent.
	January 23, 1816 – December 2, 1816				Vacant
	December 2, 1816 – March 3, 1817				Archibald S. Clarke (Clarence)	Democratic-Republican	Elected April 30 – May 2, 1816, to finish Porter's term and seated December 2, 1816. [data missing]
15th	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1819	Benjamin Ellicott (Batavia)	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1816. [data missing]	John Canfield Spencer (Canandaigua)	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1816. Retired to run for U.S. senator
16th	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821	Nathaniel Allen (Richmond)	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818. Lost re-election.	Albert H. Tracy (Buffalo)	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818. Redistricted to the 22nd district.

1821–present: one seat

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	Counties represented
Vacant		March 4, 1821 – December 3, 1821	17th	Elections were held in April 1821. It is unclear when results were announced or credentials issued.	1821–1823 Chenango and Broome counties.
Elijah Spencer (Benton)	Democratic-Republican	December 3, 1821 – March 3, 1823		Elected in 1821. [data missing]
Lot Clark (Norwich)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	18th	Elected in 1822. [data missing]	1823–1833 Chenango and Broome counties
Elias Whitmore (Windsor)	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827	19th	Elected in 1824. [data missing]
John C. Clark (Bainbridge)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1829	20th	Elected in 1826. [data missing]
Robert Monell (Greene)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1829 – February 21, 1831	21st	Elected in 1828. [data missing] Resigned to become Judge of the Sixth State Circuit Court
Vacant		February 22, 1831 – March 3, 1831
John A. Collier (Binghamton)	Anti-Masonic	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	22nd	Elected in 1830. [data missing]
Henry Mitchell (Norwich)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835	23rd	Elected in 1832. [data missing]	1833–1843 [data missing]
William Mason (Preston)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837	24th	Elected in 1834. [data missing]
John C. Clark (Bainbridge)	Democratic	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	25th 26th 27th	Elected in 1836. Re-elected in 1838. Re-elected in 1840. [data missing]
	Whig	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843
Jeremiah E. Cary (Cherry Valley)	Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	28th	Elected in 1842. [data missing]	1843–1853 [data missing]
Charles Goodyear (Schoharie)	Democratic	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847	29th	Elected in 1844. [data missing]
George A. Starkweather (Cooperstown)	Democratic	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849	30th	Elected in 1846. [data missing]
Hiram Walden (Waldensville)	Democratic	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851	31st	Elected in 1848. [data missing]
William W. Snow (Oneonta)	Democratic	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853	32nd	Elected in 1850. [data missing]
Henry Bennett (New Berlin)	Whig	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	33rd 34th 35th	Redistricted from the 22nd district and re-elected in 1852. Re-elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. Lost re-election.	1853–1863 [data missing]
	Opposition	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857
	Republican	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859
R. Holland Duell (Cortland)	Republican	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863	36th 37th	Elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. [data missing]
Francis Kernan (Utica)	Democratic	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865	38th	Elected in 1862. [data missing]	1863–1873 [data missing]
Roscoe Conkling (Utica)	Republican	March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867	39th	Elected in 1864. [data missing] Re-elected in 1866 but declined when instead elected U.S. senator.
Vacant		March 4, 1867 – November 29, 1867	40th
Alexander H. Bailey (Rome)	Republican	November 30, 1867 – March 3, 1871	40th 41st	Elected to finish the vacant term. Re-elected in 1868. [data missing]
Ellis H. Roberts (Utica)	Republican	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873	42nd	Elected in 1870. Redistricted to the 22nd district.
Clinton L. Merriam (Locust Grove)	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	43rd	Redistricted from the 20th district and re-elected in 1872. [data missing]	1873–1883 [data missing]
Samuel F. Miller (Franklin)	Republican	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877	44th	Elected in 1874. [data missing]
Solomon Bundy (Oxford)	Republican	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879	45th	Elected in 1876. [data missing]
David Wilber (Milford)	Republican	March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881	46th	Elected in 1878. [data missing]
Ferris Jacobs Jr. (Delhi)	Republican	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883	47th	Elected in 1880. [data missing]
George W. Ray (Chenango)	Republican	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	48th	Elected in 1882. [data missing]	1883–1893 [data missing]
Frederick A. Johnson (Glens Falls)	Republican	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887	49th	Redistricted from the 18th district and re-elected in 1884. [data missing]
John H. Moffitt (Chateaugay Lake)	Republican	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891	50th 51st	Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. [data missing]
John M. Wever (Plattsburg)	Republican	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893	52nd	Elected in 1890. [data missing] Redistricted to the 23rd district.
Simon J. Schermerhorn (Schenectady)	Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895	53rd	Elected in 1892. [data missing]	1893–1899 [data missing]
David F. Wilber (Oneonta)	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899	54th 55th	Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. [data missing]
John K. Stewart (Amsterdam)	Republican	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1903	56th 57th	Elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. [data missing]	1899–1903 All of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene and Putnam counties
John H. Ketcham (Dover Plains)	Republican	March 4, 1903 – November 4, 1906	58th 59th	Redistricted from the 18th district and re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Died.	1903–1913 [data missing]
Vacant		November 5, 1906 – March 3, 1907	59th
Samuel McMillan (Lake Mahopac)	Republican	March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1909	60th	Elected in 1906. [data missing]
Hamilton Fish II (Garrison)	Republican	March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1911	61st	Elected in 1908. [data missing]
Richard E. Connell (Poughkeepsie)	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – October 30, 1912	62nd	Elected in 1910. Died.
Vacant		October 31, 1912 – March 3, 1913
Henry George Jr. (New York)	Democratic	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915	63rd	Redistricted from the 17th district and re-elected in 1912. [data missing]	1913–1963 Parts of New York
G. Murray Hulbert (New York)	Democratic	March 4, 1915 – January 1, 1918	64th 65th	Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Resigned to become Commissioner of Docks and Director of the Port of New York City
Vacant		January 2, 1918 – March 5, 1918	65th
Jerome F. Donovan (New York)	Democratic	March 5, 1918 – March 3, 1921	65th 66th	Elected to finish Hulbert's term. [data missing]
Martin C. Ansorge (New York)	Republican	March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1923	67th	Elected in 1920. [data missing]
Royal H. Weller (New York)	Democratic	March 4, 1923 – March 1, 1929	68th 69th 70th	Elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Died.
Vacant		March 2, 1929 – November 4, 1929	70th 71st
Joseph A. Gavagan (New York)	Democratic	November 5, 1929 – December 30, 1943	71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th 78th	Elected to finish Weller's term. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Resigned when elected justice of New York Supreme Court.
Vacant		December 31, 1943 – February 28, 1944	78th
James H. Torrens (New York)	Democratic	February 29, 1944 – January 3, 1947	78th 79th	Elected to finish Gavagan's term. Re-elected in 1944. [data missing]
Jacob K. Javits (New York)	Republican	January 3, 1947 – December 31, 1954	80th 81st 82nd 83rd	Elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Retired to run for N.Y. Attorney General. Resigned to become New York State Attorney General.
Vacant		December 31, 1954 – January 3, 1955	83rd
Herbert Zelenko (New York)	Democratic	January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1963	84th 85th 86th 87th	Elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. [data missing]
James C. Healey (New York)	Democratic	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1965	88th	Redistricted from the 22nd district and re-elected in 1962. [data missing]	1963–1965 Parts of Bronx
James H. Scheuer (New York)	Democratic	January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1971	89th 90th 91st 92nd	Elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. [data missing]	1965–1973 Parts of Bronx, Manhattan, Queens
		January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1973
Herman Badillo (The Bronx)	Democratic	January 3, 1973 – December 31, 1977	93rd 94th 95th	Redistricted from the 22nd district and re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Resigned to become Deputy Mayor of New York City.	1973–1983 Parts of Bronx
Vacant		January 1, 1978 – February 20, 1978	95th
Robert Garcia (The Bronx)	Democratic	February 21, 1978 – January 3, 1983	95th 96th 97th	Elected to finish Badillo's term. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Redistricted to the 18th district.
Hamilton Fish IV (Millbrook)	Republican	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993	98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd	Redistricted from the 25th district and re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Redistricted to the 19th district.	1983–1993 All of Putnam; parts of Dutchess, Orange, Westchester
Michael McNulty (Green Island)	Democratic	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2009	103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th	Redistricted from the 23rd district and re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Retired.	1993–2003 All of Albany, Schenectady; parts of Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga
					2003–2013 All of Albany, Montgomery, Schenectady, Schoharie; parts of Fulton, Rensselaer, Saratoga
Paul Tonko (Amsterdam)	Democratic	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013	111th 112th	Elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 20th district.
Bill Owens (Plattsburgh)	Democratic	January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015	113th	Redistricted from the 23rd district and re-elected in 2012. Retired.	2013–2023 All of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Warren, Washington; parts of Herkimer, Saratoga
Elise Stefanik (Schuylerville)	Republican	January 3, 2015 – present	114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th	Elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. Resigning to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
					2023–2025 All of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Montgomery, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Warren, Washington; parts of Jefferson, Otsego, Rensselaer
					2025–present All of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Warren, Washington; parts of Jefferson, Montgomery, Oneida, Saratoga

Recent election results

In New York State electoral politics there are numerous minor parties at various points on the political spectrum. Certain parties will invariably endorse either the Republican or Democratic candidate for every office, hence the state electoral results contain both the party votes, and the final candidate votes (Listed as "Recap").

U.S. House of Representatives election, 1996: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael R. McNulty (incumbent)	158,491	66.1
	Republican	Nancy Norman	64,471	26.9
	Liberal	Lee H. Wasserman	16,794	7.0
Margin of victory			94,020	39.2
Turnout			239,756	100

U.S. House of Representatives election, 1998: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael R. McNulty (incumbent)	146,729	74.2	+8.1
	Republican	Lauren Ayers	50,931	25.8	−1.1
Margin of victory			95,798	48.5	+9.3
Turnout			197,660	100	−17.6

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2000: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael R. McNulty (incumbent)	175,339	74.4	+0.2
	Republican	Thomas G. Pillsworth	60,333	25.6	−0.2
Margin of victory			115,006	48.8	+0.3
Turnout			235,672	100	+19.2

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2002: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael R. McNulty (incumbent)	161,329	75.1	+0.7
	Republican	Charles B. Rosenstein	53,525	24.9	−0.7
Margin of victory			107,804	50.2	+1.4
Turnout			214,854	100	−8.8

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2004: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael R. McNulty (incumbent)	194,033	70.8	−4.3
	Republican	Warren Redlich	80,121	29.2	+4.3
Margin of victory			113,912	41.6	−8.6
Turnout			274,154	100	+27.6

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2006: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael R. McNulty (incumbent)	167,604	78.2	+7.4
	Republican	Warren Redlich	46,752	21.8	−7.4
Margin of victory			120,852	56.4	+14.8
Turnout			214,356	100	−21.8

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2008: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Paul D. Tonko	105,313	61.8	−16.4
	Republican	Jim Burhmaster	57,086	35.4	+13.6
	Independence	Philip Steck	5,025	2.8	+2.8
Margin of victory			43,202	23.6	−32.8
Turnout			167,424	100	−12.9

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2010: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Paul D. Tonko (incumbent)	124,889	56.9	−4.9
	Republican	Theodore J. Danz Jr.	85,752	43.1	+7.7
Margin of victory			39,137	13.8	−9.8
Turnout			219,425	100	+31.1

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2012: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bill Owens	126,631	47.1	−9.8
	Republican	Matt Doheny	121,646	45.3	+2.2
	Green	Donald L. Hassig	4,174	1.6	+1.6
Margin of victory			4,985	1.8	−12
Turnout			268,784	100	+22.5

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2014: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Elise Stefanik	96,226	55.1	+13.8
	Democratic	Aaron G. Woolf	59,063	29.3	−12.8
	Green	Matthew J. Funiciello	19,238	10.6	+9
Margin of victory			43,086	23.7	+21.9
Turnout			181,558	100	−32.5

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2016: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Elise Stefanik (incumbent)	177,886	65.3	+12.3
	Democratic	Mike Derrick	82,161	30.2	+0.9
	Green	Matthew J. Funiciello	12,452	4.6	−6
Margin of victory			95,725	35.1	+11.4
Turnout			272,499	100	+50.1

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2018: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Elise Stefanik (incumbent)	131,981	56.1	−9.2
	Democratic	Tedra Cobb	99,791	42.4	+12.2
	Green	Lynn Kahn	3,437	1.5	−3.1
Margin of victory			32,190	13.7	−61
Turnout			235,209	100	−13.7

U.S. House of Representatives election, 2020: New York's 21st district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Elise Stefanik (incumbent)	188,649	58.8	+2.7
	Democratic	Tedra Cobb	131,992	41.1	−1.3
Margin of victory			56,657	17.7	+4.0
Turnout			320,779	100	+36.4

New York's 21st congressional district, 2022

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Elise Stefanik	148,068	52.32%
	Conservative	Elise Stefanik	17,566	6.21%
	Total	Elise Stefanik (Incumbent)	165,634	58.53%
	Democratic	Matt Castelli	109,600	38.73%
	Moderate Party	Matt Castelli	3,655	1.29%
	Total	Matt Castelli	113,255	40.02%
	Write-in		4,099	1.45%
Total votes			282,988	100%

See also

• List of United States congressional districts
• New York's congressional districts
• United States congressional delegations from New York

References

Bibliography

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
• OpenSecrets.org-21st Congressional District candidates 2008 campaign contributions for each candidate
• 2014 election data
• 2012 election data
• 2010 election data
• 2004 House election data Clerk of the House of Representatives
• 2002 House election data Clerk of the House of Representatives
• 2000 House election data Clerk of the House of Representatives
• 1998 House election data Clerk of the House of Representatives
• 1996 House election data Clerk of the House of Representatives