Quick Facts
Biography
Yuh-Line Niou (Chinese: 牛毓琳) is a Taiwanese-American politician. She is a Democratic Party member of the New York State Assembly for the 65th district, the seat previously held by Sheldon Silver. This district which, is heavily Democratic and 40% Asian, includes Chinatown, the Financial District, Battery Park City, and the Lower East Side. Niou is the first Asian-American elected to the State Assembly for this district. Her name is pronounced "you-lean nee-oh" or "you lean new", according to various sources.
Life and career
Niou was born in Taipei, Taiwan, the eldest of three children. Her mother and father worked as a registered nurse and materials science engineer, respectively, and were both from Taoyuan. She lived in Moscow, Idaho, and El Paso, Texas, before her parents settled in Beaverton, Oregon. She attended The Evergreen State College, and worked as an aide to members of the Washington State Legislature. She moved to New York in 2010 to obtain a master's degree from Baruch College, and served as chief of staff to State Assemblyman Ron Kim.
New York State Assembly
After a corruption scandal involving Sheldon Silver forced his resignation, a special election was held to fill the vacancy in April 2016. Alice Cancel, an ally of Silver, ran as the nominee of the Democratic Party, while Niou ran as the Working Families Party candidate. Cancel won the election. Niou ran for the seat in the 2016 elections, and won the Democratic nomination in September 2016. She then won the general election in November with 76% of the vote.