Long Island voters are hitting the polls Tuesday to cast ballots deciding the next president, four congressional representatives, 31 New York State legislators, some town-level races, and four propositions on Election Day.
More than a half million votes were cast during the nine-day early voting period, according to unofficial early tallies released by the New York State Board of Elections showing 289,427 in Suffolk County and 284,761 in Nassau County — with voter turnout up 13% statewide over last year.
“My office is committed to protecting free and fair elections and we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure a safe, smooth voting process for all,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said, urging voters to report intimidation, deception, and obstruction to the Election Protection Hotline at at (866) 390-2992, or submit a complaint online.
Besides Republican former President Donald Trump seeking to return to the White House in a race against Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, there are a number of local raves to watch as well.
Freshman U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who has been defending himself against allegations of infidelity, nepotism, and calls for an ethics investigation, is trailing Democratic challenger and former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen. It is a closely watched race as Democrats seek to flip it from red to blue in a bid to take back the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives from the Republicans, who have an eight-seat lead.
The most closely watched state Senate race on LI is to replace outgoing state Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Hicksville) — the only one of the nine state Senate races in the region to have no incumbent seeking re-election. Nassau County Legis. Siela A. Bynoe (D-Westbury) is trying to keep the seat in Democratic hands while Thomas Philip Montefinise, a Republican Nassau County attorney from Oceanside, tries to flip it.
And of the 22 state Assembly seats in Nassau and Suffolk counties, three have vacancies this cycle. Running to replace outgoing Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. (D-Sag Harbor) on the East End is Tommy John Schiavoni, a Democratic member of the Southampton Town Board, and Stephen Kiely, a Republican Shelter Island Town Attorney. In Southwestern Suffolk, seeking to replace outgoing Assemb. Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Wheatley Heights) is Democratic candidate Kwani O’Pharrow, a former NYPD detective and U.S. Navy veteran, and Republican Joseph Cardinale, a former NYPD lieutenant who owns Blue Pine Pilot Cars. And in South-Central Nassau, vying to replace outgoing state Assemb. Taylor Darling (D-Hempstead) is Noah Burroughs, a Democrat who is a Trustee for the Village of Hempstead, and Danielle Samantha Smikle, a Republican challenger from Freeport seeking to flip the seat from blue to red is a teacher at a Uniondale charter school.
And on the back of ballots are the statewide proposition 1 to ban discrimination, proposition 2 in Suffolk to protect drinking water, and two environmental referenda in East Hampton and Southampton towns.
Polls are open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. For more information on where to vote, contact your local board of elections.
