Byron A. Divins Jr., Assembly, 16th District

Byron A. Divins Jr.

Democratic

BACKGROUND: Divins, 47, lives in Flower Hill. Divins is currently a registered Democrat, but he recently switched his party registration to Republican, a change he says will take effect after the Nov. 6 election. Divins is running on the Republican and Conservative party lines. Divins grew up in Roslyn and graduated from Roslyn High School in 1988. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics from SUNY Albany, a juris doctor law degree from Touro Law Center in Central Islip and a Master of Business Administration degree from Florida State University in Tallahassee. After law school, Divins served for 20 years in the Navy, from which he retired in 2017 with the rank of commander. Divins owns and is a partner in Divins & Divins P.C., a law firm in Garden City. He coaches Roslyn Little League. Divins is married and has two children. This is his first run for public office.

ISSUES: Divins said he is running for the Assembly because he wants to serve his community “as an independent voice in Albany.” Divins said he will “fight to make the tax cap permanent, and to lower the cost of living and doing business on Long Island.” He said he will “work to keep our schools safe and fix the problem of over-testing.” Divins said he will also “make it a priority to end the culture of corruption in Albany, and to protect Long Island’s waterways.”