Elections Tuesday in county, town and city races in Nassau, Suffolk

Voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 2,... — Voters will go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 in county, town, city and judicial races in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin

By Rachelle Blidnerrachelle.blidner@newsday.com @rachelleblidnerNovember 1, 2021

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Long Island Tuesday in elections for posts including Nassau County executive and district attorney in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Overall, voters will cast ballots in more than 100 races for county, town, city and judicial posts across Long Island.

In the Nassau County executive’s race, Democratic incumbent Laura Curran, who is seeking a second term, faces Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, a Hempstead Town Council member.

During the campaign, Curran and Blakeman clashed over issues such as Nassau’s property reassessment program, the response to the coronavirus pandemic and the use of federal pandemic aid.

In the Nassau district attorney’s contest, longtime county prosecutor Anne Donnelly, a Republican, and Democratic state Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) are competing for an open seat after Madeleine Singas, a Democrat, resigned to become a state Court of Appeals associate judge.

Nassau voters also will decide races for county clerk and comptroller.

In the clerk’s race, Democrat Justin Brown, a health care administrator, is challenging incumbent Republican Maureen O’Connell.

Democrat Ryan Cronin and Republican Elaine Phillips are competing to replace Democratic Comptroller Jack Schnirman, who is not seeking reelection.

In Suffolk County, incumbent District Attorney Tim Sini, a Democrat, faces a challenge from Ray Tierney, a former federal prosecutor who is running on the Republican and Conservative Party lines.

Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr., a Democrat, is on the ballot for a second term against Republican William Amato, who is not actively campaigning.

All 19 seats in the Nassau County Legislature and the 18 seats in the Suffolk County Legislature are up for election.

Nassau’s 8th District and Suffolk’s 10th and 18th Districts have open seats after incumbents decided not to run again or were term-limited.

Islip Town will have its first councilmanic district elections after settlement last year of a federal voting rights lawsuit alleging that at-large council seats denied Latinos equal representation.

Voters in North Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Huntington, East Hampton, Riverhead, Babylon, Smithtown, Southampton and Shelter Island will head to the polls in contests for town supervisor.

There is an open supervisor seat in North Hempstead after incumbent Judi Bosworth, a Democrat, decided not to seek reelection.

In Huntington, incumbent Republican Chad Lupinacci also is not running again.

Eight judgeships are also up for election the 10th District of state Supreme Court.

Statewide, voters will decide five ballot questions.

Absentee ballots could be a factor in determining the outcome of some races because requests for absentee ballots this year have set records for off-year elections, according to election officials.

As of Monday, the Nassau County Board of Elections had received 19,895 absentee ballots out of 38,348 requested.

In Suffolk County, as of its latest available count on Saturday, 13,613 absentee ballots of 32,259 requested had been received.

Absentee ballots postmarked no later than Tuesday can continue to arrive by mail to county boards of election through Nov. 9.

Voters with questions about their polling places may contact the Nassau County Board of Elections at 516-571-2411, or the Suffolk County Board of Elections at 631-852-4500.

With Michael Gormley

What to know about voting

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Voters must cast their ballots at their designated polling sites. The locations are listed on the county boards of election websites.
The state Board of Elections has told county election officials that voters must wear masks in polling places and adhere to social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The state said voters who cannot wear masks for any reason shouldn’t be turned away, but should be taken to an isolated area within the polling site to vote and then be ushered out as soon as they finish voting.
Tuesday is the last day that an absentee ballot may be postmarked. Mailed ballots must be received by the county boards of elections no later than Nov. 9. Tuesday also is the last day for an absentee ballot to be delivered in person at boards of elections.
Voters can change their minds after mailing in an absentee ballot and vote at polling sites on Election Day. In those cases, their absentee ballot isn’t counted.
Because of a record year of request for absentee ballots in an off-year election, a final count of all ballots cast Nov. 2 will take at least another week. Close races may take days or weeks longer. When the polls close Tuesday night, election officials will tabulate only the votes cast that day as well as those through the early voting period that ended Sunday. By law, absentee ballots can’t be opened and begin to be counted for seven days.