Incumbents DeSena, Saladino and Clavin win Nassau County town supervisor races

Nassau County residents voted Tuesday to keep three incumbent town supervisors in office, including North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, who also could pick up an ally on the town council when absentee votes are counted.

"This shows the residents of North Hempstead appreciated tax relief and that we're focused on working for the residents — and deliver what government is supposed to deliver," DeSena told Newsday in an interview early Wednesday.

The Democrat, who ran on Republican and Conservative lines, celebrated her win at the Coral House in Baldwin, as did victorious Republican incumbents Town of Hempstead Supervisor Donald Clavin and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino.

Many eyes had been on the North Hempstead supervisor race as DeSena faced off against Jon Kaiman, a Democrat who served as the town's supervisor from 2004 until 2013.

Board of Election results showed a vote tally of 54.8% for DeSena and 44.7% for Kaiman. 

DeSena retained the seat she won in 2021 after a strong Republican turnout made her the first GOP candidate to win the position in more than three decades.

Kaiman had sought a return to town office after gaining state and county government experience, most recently as deputy to outgoing Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.

Six candidates vied for three other slots on North Hempstead's town board, with Democratic incumbent Mariann Dalimonte winning one of the seats and Democratic challenger Christine Liu claiming another.

But the third seat appeared too close to call early Wednesday ahead of the absentee vote count, with Board of Elections results showing 48.7% of votes for Democratic incumbent Peter Zuckerman and 50.4% of the votes for Republican challenger Edward Scott.

Scott didn't declare victory, but said he felt "confident."

In Hempstead, Clavin won 65% of the votes compared with Democratic challenger Olena Nicks' 34.6% of the votes. She had been seeking her first term as supervisor after losing a bid for town clerk in 2021.

Board of Election results early Wednesday showed Republican candidates also won races for the four other town board seats in Hempstead. 

In Oyster Bay, Saladino won a fourth term at the town's helm after facing off against personal injury attorney Jared Behr, a Democrat in his first run for political office.

Saladino won 68.8% of the votes, compared with Behr's tally of 30.8%. Republican candidates also won the races for three other council seats on the town's ballot. 

In Long Beach, three candidates who ran on the Republican and Conservative lines picked up seats on city council. 

Brendan Finn, Christopher Fiumara and Michael Reinhart defeated Democratic incumbents Elizabeth Treston and Tina Posterli, along with Democratic candidate James Hodge.

In Glen Cove, incumbent Republican Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck won 62.6% of the votes, defeating George Maragos, a Democrat who previously served as Nassau County's comptroller and won 37% of votes.

Republicans and Democrats equally split the races for six Glen Cove council seats.

With Nicholas Spangler