A Late Village Election Date, Finally, Arrives
Tuesday is Election Day in villages across the East End, three months later than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic. Governor Andrew Cuomo had postponed the June election until September 15.
In East Hampton Village, a long, highly-debated race will finally come to a close. Jerry Larsen, the village’s retired police chief, started his campaign for mayor more than a year ago, right after moving into the village. He planned a run against Barbara Borsack, a longtime deputy mayor who planned to run when Mayor Paul Rickenbach Jr. stepped down after 20 years in the seat. More recently, it became a three-way race when Arthur “Tiger” Graham, also board member, decided to throw his hat into the race.
Borsack, who will be the village’s first female mayor as she was the first woman on the board, is running on the Elms Party along with Ray Harden, who was appointed to the board in March, and Rick Lawler, who has been serving as mayor since Rickenbach resigned early in December. There are also two open seats on the village board.
Larsen is running on the NewTown Party with Sandra Melendez, a lawyer with a village practice, and Chris Minardi, a sales director at New York Title Abstract Services who has served on the Village Zoning Board of Appeals for a decade.
Graham’s running mate is David Driscoll, who served in the New York City Police Department for 38 years. They are running on the Fish Hooks Party ticket.
The candidates and their running mates differ on the overall direction of the village with Larsen gaining support from the business community.
In-person voting takes place in the Emergency Service Building at 1 Cedar Street from noon to 9 p.m. Those who have requested absentee ballots can return them to Village Hall.
Southampton Village
There are four candidates for two seats on the Southampton Village Board; Kimberly Allan, Gina Arresta, Zach Epley and Joseph McLoughlin.
Epley, a son of former mayor Mark Epley, and Allan, a current board member whose father, James McFarlane, was a village board member in the early 2000s, are running together on the Community Party line.
Epley works in the family business as the corporate director of support services for Seafield Center, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Westhampton Beach. Allan had a career in finance before moving to the village full-time.
McLoughlin, whose father also served on the village board, ran for the board last year, losing by a small margin. He has been a member of the Village Planning Commission since 2017.
Arresta is a political newcomer. She serves on the village Financial Advisory Committee and has a background in business.
Rich Yastrzemski is not seeking another term after 12 years in office.
Voting will take place at the Southampton Cultural Center on Pond Lane from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Absentee ballots were also available.
Westhampton Beach
The election is uncontested in the Village of Westhampton Beach. Mayor Maria Z. Moore, who became the first female mayor when first elected in 2014, is seeking an additional two-year term.
Trustees Ralph Urban, a retired school teacher who serves as the deputy mayor, and Stephen A. Frano are both seeking reelection.
Voting will be held at Village Hall on Mill Road from noon to 9 p.m.
West Hampton Dunes
In the Village of West Hampton Dunes, there are four people running for four positions on the ballot. Mayor Gary A. Vegliante, one of the longest sitting mayors having first been elected in 1993, is running for another four-year term. Michael J. Craig, a board member for 12 years, is seeking reelection, as well.
Harvey Gessin is looking to join the board. Barry Goldfeder retired seven months ago, and the mayor said he did not appoint anyone to fill the position.
Adam Gomerman, an attorney with an office in Huntington Station who lives in the village, is looking to replace Justice Gair Betts, who is not seeking reelection.
Voting will take place from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Hall on Dune Road.
Quogue Village
Mayor Peter Saratorius and two trustees, Kimberley Payne and Robert Treuhold, are seeking reelection in an uncontested race in the Village of Quogue. Each will serve another two-year term.
The polls will be open at the Quogue firehouse on Jessups Avenue from noon and close at 9:00 p.m.
North Haven Village
There is a one race in the small Village of North Haven this year with Terie Diat challenging Chris Fiore, who was appointed to fill a vacancy when board member James Davis died in February. There is one year left on Davis’ term.
Fiore is a retired executive in the retail sales field. Diat is a retired finance executive, running on the Community Vision Party line.
David Saskas, who owns a surveying firm by his name, and Dianne Skilbred, a retired nurse, are running unopposed for two-year terms on the North Haven Party line.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jeff Sander is running unopposed for his seat, also on the North Haven Party line.
Voting will be held at Village Hall on Route 114 from noon to 9 p.m.
Sag Harbor
Two Sag Harbor Village Board members are running unopposed. Thomas Gardella, currently the deputy mayor, and James Larocca, are looking for another two-year term.
Votes can be cast at the Sag Harbor Fire Department headquarters on Brick Kiln Road from noon to 9 p.m.
Sagaponack
Three positions are on the ballot in Sagaponack Village.
Mayor Donald Lochheim and one current Sagapoanck Village Board member, Lisa Duryea Thayer, are seeking reelection. Marilyn D. Clark is looking to fill a seat held by Trustee Lee Foster, who is not running again.
Voting will be held at Village Hall on Montauk Highway between noon and 9 p.m.
Dering Harbor
On Shelter Island, the Village of Dering Harbor will hold an election for mayor and two trustees. Patrick Parcells, a board member, is looking to become the mayor, replacing Betsy Morgan, who is not seeking reelection. Trustee Karen Kelsey, who also serves as the deputy mayor, is seeking reelection, while Brad I. Goldfarb is looking to join the board to fill Parcells’ seat. They are two-year terms.
Polls will be open at the Village Hall on Locust Point Road from noon to 9 p.m.
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