Pilip-Suozzi race to replace former Rep. George Santos: Early voting winds down, ends Sunday

As early voting winds down in the 3rd Congressional District special election, voters in parts of Nassau County and Queens cast ballots Saturday in the race to fill the seat left vacated by expelled Rep. George Santos.

A Newsday/Siena College poll released Thursday found the two candidates vying for the seat — Democrat Tom Suozzi and Republican-backed Mazi Melesa Pilip — locked in a tight race. The poll showed voters favored Pilip on the question of who would better tackle the migrant influx, while voters had greater confidence Suozzi would better address abortion issues.

On the second-to-last day of early voting, 15 balloting sites were open in Nassau County and Queens. On Sunday, early voters in Nassau can cast votes from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and those in Queens can do so from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

 Election Day is Tuesday.

There was a steady flow of voters filing in and out of the Port Washington Public Library Saturday morning, with some saying they wanted to cast their ballot before Tuesday, when forecasters predict possible snow.

James Scheuerman, Nassau’s Democratic Board of Elections commissioner, said he was impressed by the voter turnout for early voting.

He said 46,207 voters cast early ballots as of the close of polls Saturday. Of those votes, 19,667 were cast by registered Democrats, 15,910 were cast by Republicans and 8,909 by unaffiliated voters. Members of third parties cast substantially fewer votes with 531 Conservative Party members voting, 19 Green Party members casting ballots, and 36 Independence Party members voting although that party is no longer recognized.

"This was definitely a good turnout," he said. "There was a lot advertising and it drew national attention."

Nassau Republican Board of Elections Commissioner Joseph Kearney declined to comment.

For supporters of Suozzi, his experience in government — and Pilip's perceived lack of time in government roles — helped move the needle.

“I would say that experience is a big part of it,” said Allan Borzuk, who voted Saturday morning in Port Washington. “That’s how you establish credibility.”

Kevin and Stacey McDermott, of Port Washington, said Suozzi was a moderate who would be able to help bridge divides that have perpetuated between the Democratic and Republican parties.

At the Town of Oyster Bay Skating Center in Bethpage late Saturday morning, some voters for Pilip decried Democratic border policies as a primary cause for voting Republican on the ballot.

“I don’t like the liberal policies, I don’t like the open border,” said Tom Lombardi after he voted outside the Bethpage ice rink.

John Bardenhagen, of Hicksville, said, “We have too many people coming and we don’t have room for them.”

“Look what they’re doing to the city,” he said of Democrats. “It’s out of control.”

Margaret Bunzel, of Hicksville, who didn’t disclose whom she voted for, said she wasn’t motivated by a particular issue in the race but wanted to cast her vote early for a simpler reason: “I heard about the weather on Tuesday,” she said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul called for the special election to fill the term after Santos, a Republican, was forced from Congress on Dec. 1. A House ethics report accused him of defrauding campaign donors for personal profit.

Santos also faces federal indictments related to his campaign fundraising and spending and left a litany of lies about his background that made international news.

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ