Karen Bhatia (left) with her campaign poster / Special arrangement

Karen Bhatia, an attorney, educator and former New York City economic development official who helped shape policies on artificial intelligence and blockchain, is making her first run for public office as a Democratic candidate for Nassau County Legislature’s 18th District. Her campaign — built around affordability, infrastructure and modernizing government — seeks to translate years of innovation policy into local governance.

Flushing-born and Queens-bred, Bhatia arrived in the United States from Delhi as a toddler. Her parents had come seeking education and opportunity — values that would later shape her own career across law, technology and public policy.

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A graduate in public policy and law, Bhatia spent years advising start-ups and businesses on how to raise capital and scale their operations. However, her pivot came when she joined the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where she spearheaded initiatives in emerging tech sectors — including responsible AI, blockchain, and virtual and augmented reality. She helped expand broadband access and pushed for inclusive entrepreneurship programs, bridging innovation with economic development.

“I want to apply everything that I have done previously to focus on some of the biggest challenges that we have,” she said in an interview with 5WH. “We’re in a critical moment where partisan gridlock and divisions are stalling progress. We need to rebuild bridges, door by door, neighbour by neighbour.”

Her vision is summed up by the acronym AIM — Affordability, Infrastructure, and Modernisation of Government. Within each pillar lies a blend of technocrats’ precision and grassroots focus.

Under “Affordability,” she vows to take on what she calls a “broken property tax assessment system,” a perennial complaint in Nassau County that forces homeowners into annual grievance filings. “It’s a tough problem,” Bhatia acknowledged. “But kicking the can down the road is a disservice to our community.”

She also targets what she calls “wasteful fees” — red-light camera charges, mortgage recording costs, and other levies deemed excessive or unconstitutional by courts — arguing that transparency and accountability must anchor county finances.

Her “Infrastructure” agenda leans on public safety, water quality, and road safety. She warns that detective shortages could undermine what has been ranked America’s safest county. “Nassau’s detective force is short by more than 30 positions, and nearly 40 per cent are eligible to retire,” she said. “That poses a public safety risk we can’t ignore.” Her plan calls for training, retention and better morale support for law enforcement.
 

Glimpses from Karen Bhatia's campaign / Special arrangement

On environmental issues, Bhatia highlights the closure of Oyster Bay and Bayville beaches due to high bacteria levels, linking it to runoff and ageing septic systems. “Clean water is basic infrastructure,” she said, adding that a modern sewer network and remediation of industrial contamination should be priorities.

Road safety is the third prong — a nonpartisan issue, she insists. “Newsday’s investigation into ‘Dangerous Roads’ shows we can do better,” she said. “Whether it’s aggressive driving or bureaucratic confusion over which agency owns a road, it all affects our safety.”

Her final pillar, “Modernising Government,” returns to her roots in tech policy. “How do you decrease bureaucracy and increase efficiency?” she asked. “Whether it’s through technology or streamlined administration, government must work for people.”

For Bhatia, innovation isn’t a buzzword but a habit. As a lecturer for Stanford University and a visiting practitioner at Cornell Tech, she mentors students developing technologies “for the public good.” That blend of policy and practice shapes her campaign’s tone: earnest, data-driven, and unapologetically local.

Beyond her own race, Bhatia praised New York City mayoral candidate Suraj Patel for “galvanising young people and immigrant communities at a time of political apathy.” But she cautioned that ambitious social plans require “financial viability and state partnerships.” “We need bold ideas,” she said, “but we also need to make sure they work long term.”

Her District — which includes Roslyn, Roslyn Heights, Syosset and Muttontown — is home to a fast-growing South Asian population. “Within my district, about 16 per cent are Asian, half of them South Asian,” she said. “These families came for good schools and opportunity. Their voices must be heard and valued.”

Bhatia says she has 24 days to convince voters that her blend of policy savvy and community activism can cut through political noise. Her slogan — “Serving People, Not Politics” — is as much a promise as a plea. “In local elections, people often don’t even know there is an election,” she said. “I want them to know who I am, what I stand for, and that I’m here to listen.”

To Indian Americans considering public service, her message is simple: run. “We need representation,” she said. “Hold me accountable, call me when issues come up. Our community deserves a seat at the table.”

The Nov. 4 vote will decide if Karen Bhatia — the lawyer-innovator from Queens — can turn policy blueprints into neighbourhood change.