Thursday, October 22, 2026
Nassau County Legislator Olena Nicks is seeking re-election to represent District 5, with a campaign focusing on public safety, affordable housing and constituent services.
First elected to the Legislature in a special election for what was then the 2nd District in February 2025, Nicks, 34, won election to the newly reapportioned District 5 last November, and began her first full term representing the district in January.
A Uniondale native, Nicks served on the Uniondale Public Library board for seven years. Her community service began years ago, with the Uniondale Fire Department, where she is now a second lieutenant. She is also a member of the Uniondale Community Land Trust board, and has worked on two completed affordable housing projects.
Professionally, Nicks is a finance and contracts research analyst, helping with government grant funding, budgets and contracts.
Her decision to enter public service was influenced by community programs and opportunities she benefited from while growing up in Uniondale. She said she wants future generations to have similar access to these resources.
Since she began representing the district, Nicks has focused on connecting with the communities she serves. She has attended community celebrations and worked with organizations addressing antisemitism.
Focusing on public safety, Nicks has raised concerns about traffic and challenges for pedestrians along Hempstead Avenue and near schools. She has met with residents, and plans to work with school districts on traffic concerns and safety for students and staff.
When it comes to housing affordability, Nicks has worked with the Uniondale community land trust and housing organizations while advocating for homeownership opportunities. She has held property-tax grievance workshops, and said she wants to work with developers to encourage housing that better reflects local incomes.
Libraries are a priority for Nicks as well, because of her previous experience as a trustee. She has helped secure funding for the Uniondale facility, which has faced flooding and infrastructure issues. The Hempstead and West Hempstead libraries, she said, have also submitted applications for capital funding.
“Libraries, to me, are very special,” she said. “They’re one of the few places that you can still go today and not have to spend a dollar.”
Nicks has also identified traffic safety and homelessness as challenges in the 5th District. She has worked with the county Department of Public Works on dangerous roads and infrastructure needs, and has maintained communication with the Department of Social Services about homelessness.
Nicks said she intends to remain active and accessible regardless of the election results. Her campaign has emphasized community visibility, providing information to residents and helping constituents navigate county services.
“I continue to work with my colleagues as best as possible,” she said. “I think using my voice and really working across the aisle as best as possible is how I’ve overcome and how I’m going to continue to overcome.”
