All 18 seats in Suffolk County Legislature up for election

The Suffolk County Legislature medallion in Hauppauge. Credit: Heather Walsh

By Rachelle Blidnerrachelle.blidner@newsday.com @rachelleblidnerOctober 28, 2021

All Suffolk County Legislature seats are up for election on Nov. 2, as 38 candidates vie for 18 spots.

Democrats hold the legislative majority, with 10 members compared with seven Republicans and one Conservative Party member.

Two districts — 10 and 18 — will have new representatives next year because of open seats.

Legis. Tom Cilmi (R-Bay Shore) is term-limited in the 10th District.

Legis. William (Doc) Spencer (D-Centerport) is not seeking reelection in the 18th as he faces criminal charges for allegedly trying to trade drugs for sexual favors. Spencer has pleaded not guilty.

In the race to replace Cilmi, Democrat Carla Simpson, a banker, is running against Republican Trish Bergin-Weichbrodt, who is term-limited as an Islip Town Council member.

In the contest to replace Spencer, Republican Stephanie Bontempi, a private schoolteacher, faces Democratic Huntington Town Councilman Mark Cuthbertson.

Mark Cuthbertson, Democratic candidate for Suffolk Legislature District 18, poses... — Mark Cuthbertson, Democratic candidate for Suffolk Legislature District 18, poses for a portrait at Hecksher Park in Huntington. Credit: James Escher

Overall, 16 incumbent county legislators are fighting to hold onto their seats for another two-year term.

Legis. Nicholas Caracappa (C-Selden) is running for reelection in the 4th District against Democrat Dawn Marie Sharrock, a Middle Country School Board member.

Caracappa, who is cross-endorsed by the Republican and Conservative parties, is facing felony domestic violence charges following his arrest last year. He has pleaded not guilty.

Voters in the 3rd District will see a rematch of the special election in May between incumbent Republican Jim Mazzarella and former Suffolk County Legis. Kate Browning, a Democrat who was term-limited in 2017.

Stephanie Bontempi, Republican candidate for Suffolk County Legislature District 18,... — Stephanie Bontempi, Republican candidate for Suffolk County Legislature District 18, poses for a portrait at her campaign headquarters in Huntington. Credit: James Escher

Browning’s campaign faced legal challenges by county Republicans who assert that Suffolk County term-limit laws, which limit county elected officials to 12 consecutive years in office, made her ineligible to hold the seat again.

An appellate court panel sided with Browning, ruling the county law does not impose a lifetime term limit.

Mazzarella won the special election, replacing former Republican Legis. Rudy Sunderman, who resigned in March shortly before pleading guilty to misdemeanor filing of a false financial disclosure form with the county ethics board.

In the 13th District, Legis. Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), a frequent critic of county police unions and other government officials, is facing challenges from Democrat Kevin Mulholland and Conservative Michael Simonelli, a Suffolk County police officer.

The races are:

District 1: Democrat Al Krupski v. Republican Remy Bell

District 2: Democrat Bridget Fleming v. Republican Robert Carpenter

District 3: Republican James Mazzarella v. Democrat Kate Browning

District 4: Republican Nicholas Caracappa v. Democrat Dawn Marie Sharrock

District 5: Democrat Kara Hahn v. Republican Salvatore Isabella

District 6: Democrat Sara Anker v. Republican Brendan Sweeney and Conservative Anthony De Simone

District 7: Democrat Robert Calarco v. Republican Dominick Thorne

District 8: Republican Anthony Piccirillo v. Democrat Peter Russo

District 9: Democrat Samuel Gonzalez v. Republican Maxima Castro

District 10: Republican Trish Bergin-Weichbrodt v. Carla Simpson

District 11: Republican Steven Flotteron v. Democrat Astrid Fidelia