Greenport Candidates Restored to Ballots After Omission Uproar

Village of Greenport officials left seven candidates off ballots, leaving no challengers to two incumbents running for re-election, but the aspiring board members were restored after the omission stirred local outrage.

Greenport Village Mayor George Hubbard and Trustee Jack Martilotta were the two incumbents spared from what officials called a paperwork issue. Their posts and a third seat being vacated by Trustee Peter Clarke, who is not seeking re-election, will be on ballots this month. At issue was the fact that Village Clerk Sylvia Pirillo neglected to inform candidates of their need to file a letter of acceptance after submitting nominating petitions required to ensure their appearance on ballots.

The village board later unanimously voted to extend the deadline to file that letter, ensuring the challengers could make their candidacy official. Residents picketed outside village hall blasting the kerfuffle before it was corrected.

The mayoral challengers are Rich Vandenburgh and Kevin Stuessi. The five newcomers running for trustee are Alison Tuthill, Lily Dougherty-Johnson, William Swiskey, Nicki Gohorel, and Patrick Brennan.

Greenport Village elections will be held 6 a.m.–9 p.m. March 21 at the Third Street Fire Station. Most other East End village elections will be held in June.