Kevin LaValle, Lisa Di Santo to face off in special election to replace Brookhaven Town Clerk Donna Lent

Republican Brookhaven Councilman Kevin LaValle and Democrat Lisa Di Santo will face each other in a special election in January to replace retired Town Clerk Donna Lent.

LaValle, 45, of Selden, and Di Santo, 58, of East Patchogue, were nominated by their respective parties to complete the last three years of Lent's term. LaValle also has the endorsement of Brookhaven Conservatives.

Lent, 70, of the Independence Party, retired immediately on Nov. 10 after nine years in office as she planned to move out of state.

The special election to replace her will start with early voting from Jan. 7-15. Voting will conclude on Jan. 17.

LaValle, who has represented Brookhaven's Third Council District since 2014, comes from a political family that includes his older brother, former Brookhaven Supervisor John Jay LaValle, and a cousin, retired State Sen. Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson).

LaValle, who works as a mortgage loan officer, has one year remaining in his four-year council term. He said he would leave his town board seat if he defeats Di Santo.

He said the cyberattack on Suffolk County government showed “a real clear need to have a town clerk’s office that has a really high priority that things are kept safe. ... I think that’s something that I can bring to the [job] with both my public sector and private sector experience.”

He said he was proud of his role in bringing economic development to his district, pointing to the Arboretum housing project in Farmingville and the TopGolf driving range in Holtsville.

“Being able to work to bring this community back to being a great place has been a great honor," LaValle said.

Di Santo, a former secondary-school social studies teacher, served on the South Country school board from 2009 to 2020. She said she works as a senior home companion.

She ran for town council in 2017 and lost to Republican Neil Foley.

Di Santo said she would "have people realize the importance of an independent town clerk so that we can further the democratic process.”

She said she would improve transparency and public access to town records. She also would advocate for different town board meeting times. The board meets once or twice a month with alternating meeting times.

“Your typical taxpayer can’t attend a meeting at 2 o'clock or even 5 o'clock,” Di Santo said.

Early voting will be held at four locations: Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville, the Suffolk Board of Elections in Yaphank, Mastic Ambulance Company in Mastic and the Rose Caracappa Senior Center in Mount Sinai. Early voting hours were incomplete on Wednesday.

Election Day voting hours will be 6 a.m.-to 9 p.m. Jan. 17 at all regular Brookhaven polling places. 

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.