Democrat Paula Elaine Kay has received the endorsement of both the New State Civil Servants Employee Association (CSEA) Local 1000 and the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) in her campaign for the 100th Assembly District seat. 

“From employees of the state to local governments to the private  sector, CSEA members provide the services that New Yorkers need and depend on every day,” said CSEA president Mary Sullivan in the letter of endorsement. “As New York  continues to prioritize recruitment and retention of its workforce, we need elected officials like yourself  who will fight to make public service more attractive and accessible. CSEA is proud to endorse your  candidacy for the New York State Assembly. We are confident that you will stand with working people to  make New York a better state.” 

“We need representatives in the halls of power— from Albany to  Washington—who will work to find common ground to get things done for working-class families and  strong public schools,” said Merlinda Person, NYSUT President. “After an extensive research and vetting process, including the voices of our leaders,  NYSUT is thrilled to endorse candidates who we feel share these values and are committed to democracy,  compromise and healthy debate so we can get important things done together.” 

“I’m so proud to be endorsed by CSEA and NYSUT,” Kay said. “These union professionals do vital work for the  100th District and all of New York— everything from building and maintaining our infrastructure to keeping  us healthy to educating our kids. I stand with all union members who work hard in many fields.” 

CSEA represents over 300,000 current and retired workers and is the largest affiliate union of the American  Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)which in turn is one of the largest affiliate  unions of the international house of labor, the AFL-CIO. 

NYSUT represents 700,000 people working in or retired from New York’s schools, colleges and health care facilities. They are affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education  Association (NEA). NYSUT is also part of organized labor—the AFL-CIO—and of Education International,  with more than 20 million members worldwide. 

Kay graduated from Wesleyan University and Brooklyn Law School. She is an attorney with a 30-year  background working for the New York City Council and state and local governments. As a town prosecutor, she prosecuted thousands of traffic and vehicle violations working with hundreds of state troopers. She lives with her husband, Jonathan Drapkin, in Rock Hill, where they raised their two children.