Southampton's supervisor joins Independence Party

Southampton Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst, who won election last year without being enrolled in any political party, has decided to become an Independence Party member.

"I feel it represents the way I have always voted and the way I have represented," said Thone-Holst, who won election last year with Democratic, Independence and Working Families parties ballot lines. "I've always voted independently and voted for whom I thought was the better candidate."

She added she joined the Independence Party because, "We need to move to a better balance in our political discourse in the county and in the country."

The town board has three Republicans, one Democrat and Throne-Holst.

Throne-Holst joins other East End officials including Assemb. Fred Thiele and Suffolk Legis. Jay Schneiderman who defected from the Republican Party last year. Town Highway Superintendent Alex Gregor and town Trustee William Pell IV are also Independence Party members.

Throne-Holst informed party leaders of her decision at a luncheon at Oheka Castle Monday with state and Suffolk Independence Party chairman Frank MacKay, town Independence chair Steve Lynch and party adviser Gary Melius. Throne-Holst, a Noyac resident, said she signed a registration card and gave it to Lynch. However, Suffolk elections officials Tuesday said the enrollment form has not yet been filed. Throne-Holst's registration will not take effect officially until after Election Day.

Only last month, MacKay joked at a party fundraiser that Throne-Holst was "not a member of my party, but I have a voter registration card in my car."

Reached Tuesday, MacKay said, "She's a star on the rise with an extraordinarily bright future," adding that his job will be to protect the supervisor's political flank.

"Her political problems become our political problems," he said.