Long Island voters heading to polls in some villages to elect mayors, trustees, judges

Greenport Village residents head to the polls Tuesday to decide a controversial election that required a state Supreme Court ruling this month.

Across Long Island, voters in 10 other villages also will cast ballots for mayors, trustees and judges while the remaining villages hold elections later in the year.

Greenport Village features a three-way race for mayor as well as five candidates vying for two open trustee seats. The controversy emerged in late February when only two incumbent candidates were set to appear on the ballot, due to a paperwork error.

The village sent letters to seven candidates informing them they would not appear on the ballot for failing to file proper certificates of acceptance with the village clerk’s office, as required by state law. The board voted 5-0 on Feb. 23 to return the candidates to the ballot.

The board, however, needed to file a petition in state Supreme Court to extend the time for filing acceptances. In a March 6 stipulation, Judge Joseph A. Santorelli allowed the names on the ballot.

Incumbent Mayor George Hubbard Jr., first elected in 2015, faces a challenge from candidates Richard Vandenburgh and Kevin Stuessi.

In the trustee race, Deputy Mayor Jack Martilotta is vying for a third term. Trustee Peter Clarke is not seeking reelection. The four remaining candidates are: Lily Dougherty-Johnson, Monique Gohorel, Patrick Brennan and William Swiskey. Candidate Ali Tuthill dropped out of the race.

Key issues in the race center on a proposed moratorium on waterfront commercial and retail development and improving communication and transparency in the village. The mayor gets a $30,000 annual salary and trustees are paid $11,600.

In Smithtown’s Head of the Harbor Village, trustees Daniel White, a 10-year incumbent, and Jeffrey Fischer, who has served for seven years, are running for reelection against challenger Lisa Davidson.

Davidson helped mobilize local opposition last summer to Stony Brook Harbor docks that two neighbors in nearby Nissequogue Village had proposed. After Nissequogue’s planning board rejected one of the applications, the applicant sued to overturn the decision.

Head of the Harbor trustees are unpaid. Terms are two years.

In other contested village elections:

Amityville 

Two candidates are running for the village justice seat. Incumbent Joseph L. Calabrese faces Peter I. Collorafi for the remaining two years of the four-year term of Debra Urbano-DiSalvo, who stepped down last fall. The position pays $14,000 per year. 

Bellerose 

Three candidates are running for two trustee seats, each for a term of two years. Incumbents Daniel Driscoll and Joseph Juliano face challenger John Buechler.

Incumbent Mayor Kenneth Moore is running unopposed. Brendan Sweeney is running unopposed for another four-year village justice term. Salaries for the village positions were unavailable. 

Garden City 

Candidates Judy Courtney and Mary Carter Flanagan are facing off for the two-year mayor position, which is unpaid.

Six candidates are vying for three trustee positions, which also are unpaid, two-year terms. Incumbent Bruce J. Chester faces current Mayor Cosmo Veneziale, Edward T. Finneran, Michele Harrington, Richard A. Williams and Michael J. Sullivan.

Hempstead Village 

Four candidates are vying for two trustee seats. Incumbents Jeffery Daniels and Noah Burroughs are challenged by LaMont E. Johnson and Joylette Williams. The salary for the trustee position was unavailable.

Islandia 

Six candidates are vying for three trustee positions. Incumbents Patricia Peters, Raymond Bush and Victor Montanez are challenged by Irene Jeanette Reyes, Daniel R. Ehrhardt Jr. and Leida Morales. A trustee seat carries a four-year term with a salary of around $24,000, according to the village clerk.

Justice W. Alexander Melbardis is running unopposed for reelection to a four-year term. The salary is set after the election, according to the village clerk.

Malverne 

Trustee Timothy Sullivan and Deputy Mayor Perry Cuocci are vying for the four-year mayoral seat, which pays $14,500.

Incumbent Carl Prizzi, Brian Lewis Jr. and Scott Edwards are competing for two four-year trustee seats. Lori A. Lang, who recently was appointed to fill a vacant seat, is running to finish the last two years of the term. Trustees are paid $11,000.

Incumbent James Frankie is running unopposed for the four-year village justice position, which pays $13,000. 

Roslyn Estates 

Mayor Paul Peters is seeking his fourth two-year term against challenger Todd Teichman. The mayor is paid $4,000.  

Stewart Manor 

Incumbents Peter Healy and Mary Carole Schafenberg are running for two four-year trustee seats along with challenger William Grogan. Trustees are paid $3,000. 

Valley Stream 

Incumbent Mayor Edwin A. Fare faces Anthony Bonelli and Cristina Arroyo Rodriguez for the four-year position.

Four candidates are vying for two trustee positions. Incumbent Dermond E. Thomas faces Kevin Waszak, Amil Verani and Nicolas Nogueria. Salaries for the mayor and trustees were unavailable.

CORRECTIONS

Leida Morales is running for trustee in the Village of Islandia. Her first name was incorrect in an earlier version of the story.

Peter Healy and William Grogan's positions were incorrect in an earlier version of the story.