Arnott Gordon Gooding wins Democratic primary for Shelter Island supervisor

Arnott Gordon Gooding, who won the Democratic nomination for Shelter Island Town supervisor, on Wednesday said he was grateful for the voters' support even as he's looking ahead to the general election. 

“I think that we've earned their trust,” he said.

Gooding, with 261 votes, defeated incumbent supervisor Gerard Siller, who received 128 in the Tuesday primary. He will face Republican Amber Brach-Williams, a town council member, in November.

Gooding campaigned on a team with the winning town board candidates, Benjamin Dyett and Albert Dickson.

Dyett got 285 votes and Dickson received 276. They defeated Robert Waife, who received 140 votes, according to unofficial results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

“Our campaign has been real simple,” Gooding, 77, said. “We want the community involvement. We want to restore trust in our local government.”

Dyett and Dickson will face Republicans Art Williams and Tom Cronin.

Dickson, 70, said there are environmental issues that need to be addressed on the island and said "it's time to really tackle them in a serious fashion."

A retired environmental project manager, Dickson previously served four years on the town board.

Dyett, 62, an attorney, is making his first run for public office and said he believes his experience gives him the kind of skills that town needs. He highlighted affordable housing and water quality as key issues.

Siller served previously as supervisor for two terms, from 1998-2001. He was elected twice more in 2019 and 2021.

Siller’s wife of 47 years, Veronica Siller, died a week before the primary on June 21, according to an obituary by the Shelter Island Funeral Home. She was 67.

A funeral service was held Tuesday at Our Lady of the Isle R.C. Church on Shelter Island.

The Democratic candidates paused campaigning and canceled a June 22 event in wake of the news, Gooding said. The Shelter Island Republican Committee also released a statement expressing their condolences to the family.

LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL

In a tightly contested Democratic primary for Long Beach City Council, challenger James E. Hodge earned the most votes, based on unofficial results from the Nassau County Board of Elections.

Four candidates were vying for three council seats and the unofficial results show incumbent Karen A. McInnis with the fewest votes, leaving her off the ballot for November's general election.

Hodge received the most votes, 816, while incumbents Elizabeth M. Treston got 807, Tina M. Posterli received 749 and McInnis tallied 732, based on the unofficial results.

Jim Scheuerman, the Democratic Commissioner for the Nassau County Board of Elections, said mail-in ballots must be received by July 5. If the two lowest vote-getters have a difference of 20 or fewer votes, a recount will be conducted, he said.

The three Democrats will face Republicans Brendan P. Finn, Christopher E. Fiumara and Michael G. Reinhart in November. The top two vote-getters in November will be elected to four-year terms, while the third-place candidate will win a two-year term.

Hodge, 46, worked for the city for more than 20 years and also has served as board director for the Martin Luther King Center, a community center in the North Park neighborhood. He said he is focusing on community investment during his campaign, including affordable housing, government transparency and economic development.

“This was a grassroots campaign, and our primary victory was propelled by the unwavering support of residents who passionately sought change,” he said.

Treston, 63, serves as vice president of the city council, which she joined in 2020. Posterli, 57, has been a council member since 2022. They declined to comment until official results are announced.

McInnis, 52, joined the city council in 2020.