Democrat Micah Z. Kellner has won the special election called to fill the New York State Assembly seat recently vacated by Pete Grannis who had been appointed Commissioner of New York's Department of Environmental Conservation.

The 65th Assembly District (AD) in in New York City and covers a portion of the Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island, a primarily middle-class, residential, family oriented area of Manhattan.

According to the NYC Board of Elections, with 100% of the vote counted Kellner received 64.36 percent of the vote (3,988 votes) and his challenger Greg Camp a liberal republican received 35.64 percent of the vote (2208 votes).

The 28 year old Kellner had been an aide to NYC Comptroller William Thompson. Prior to that he an was aide to United States Representative Carolyn B. Maloney.

Mr. Kellner who was born with cerebral palsy is know as a strong disability rights activist. He has said in interviews that “I see myself as a voice for the disabled community” and continually speaks about how being a disabled person that beat the odds has shaped his life.



Kellner, who campaigned as an out bisexual candidate got the support and backing of the Victory Fund, a high-profile political action committee, dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBT public officials in US political life. With his election it brings the number of openly LGBT lawmakers in the New York legislature to five.
Coverage in local New York City dailies:

• New York Daily News: Dem notches win in Assembly special elex
• New York Post: Bisexual Pol Wins
• New York Times: Comptroller’s Aide Wins Upper East Side Assembly Seat (which steadfastly refused to mention he was Bi - but then we all know the Times has a little trouble with THAT subject)