By Olena Nicks
As we begin the holiday season and a time of year filled with love, thanksgiving and gratitude, just saying “thank you” is the understatement of a lifetime.
On Nov. 4, I had the tremendous honor of being elected to serve the residents of the reapportioned Legislative District 5, and I will be forever grateful for the trust you have placed in me. It is a victory that belongs not just to me, but also to my friends and family, our supporters in labor, and all of the volunteers who worked so tirelessly to make it possible.
Your dedication, energy and belief in our shared vision kept our campaign strong from start to finish. I’m proud of the campaign we ran — one rooted in connection, showing up, and commitment to the people we serve — and I’m committed to standing up for our values and fighting every day to make Nassau County more affordable for working families in every community.
I will be representing a newly apportioned District 5 in 2026, and it’s important to take a moment to explain what that means and how we got here. The maps that were used in this year’s election (and which will be in place through 2032) are a result of a settlement reached after community advocates and civil liberties organizations sued the county, alleging that illegal gerrymandering permeated the map used in the 2023 election. District 5 is one of the six majority-minority legislative districts in which the population is composed of at least 50 percent underrepresented voting groups.
When I was first elected to the Legislature in a special election in February, I had the privilege of serving all of Uniondale, Westbury and New Cassel, along with portions of the Village of Hempstead. My lifelong home of Uniondale remains at the core of District 5, which I will serve alongside my new colleague, Legislator-elect Viviana Russell, who will represent Westbury and New Cassel.
I will also take on a larger portion of Hempstead village, with Legislators Scott Davis and Russell representing the balance of the community. Most of the hamlet of West Hempstead and portions of Franklin Square are new to the district, and I’m excited to continue this work with you and for you in the years to come.
While the district lines have changed — significantly in the case of our district — the work and my focus is the same, and my passion for public service remains unwavering.
As a Uniondale High School student, I volunteered for Planned Parenthood as a Teen Advocate, and I immersed myself in the organization’s campaigns to reduce teen pregnancy and prevent sexually transmitted infections. At age 18, I joined the Uniondale Fire Department, and over the past 15 years I became the first woman to serve as captain of Manor Company 3 before achieving the rank of second lieutenant. Prior to becoming a legislator, I was elected to two terms on the Uniondale Public Library board and served as the board’s president.
In the County Legislature, I’ll continue to work with my colleagues in the legislative minority to secure equitable investments in our communities. This year we broke a months-long blockade on more than $1.3 million in grants for our first responders; secured tens of millions of dollars for vital infrastructure improvements in the 2025 capital plan and secured long-awaited grants for cultural institutions through the Hotel-Motel Occupancy Tax Fund.
I will continue to work with my colleagues to properly resource our partners in law enforcement and to expedite the delivery of nearly $100 million in opioid settlement funds to the agencies on the front lines of delivering treatment, prevention and recovery resources to those struggling with substance use disorder.
I remain firmly convinced that, at this tumultuous and consequential moment in history, our voices are our power, and collectively we have tremendous strength. I’m grateful for the opportunity to walk alongside you in the fight for a better future in 2026 and the years to come. Should you ever have a question or concern that you would like to share with me, don’t hesitate to contact me at (516) 571-6205 or onicks@nassaucountyny.gov.
Olena Nicks, of Uniondale, represents Nassau County’s 5th Legislative District.
