Summer Showdown: Hamptons Voters to Decide 8 June Village Elections

Voters in eight villages across the Hamptons will hit the polls this month to determine who will lead their locality — and most of those elections feature challengers, although many incumbents are uncontested.

The biggest contest on the South Fork is a three-way race for mayor in the usually sleepy Village of West Hampton Dunes, where the only mayor the 31-year-old municipality has ever known is facing two challengers seeking to unseat the man considered the longest-serving mayor on Long Island. Of the eight village elections, there is only one other mayoral contest this cycle and four local mayors are running unopposed.

“Clearly it is an issue of proven performance,” West Hampton Dunes Mayor Gary Vegliante told Dan’s Papers, touting efforts to reduce taxes, non-existent crime and stabilize the beach. “There are some things that come from experience that you can never duplicate.”

Vegliant’s three-decade tenure falls short of the record-setting 48 years in office set by the late Lattingtown Village Mayor Clarence Michalis, who stepped down in 2017 and whose New York State record for longest-serving mayor was later broken by the mayor of Lake George. Vegliant — who has led the locality since 1994, shortly after it was founded to help it rebuild in the wake of a nor’easter that devastated the barrier island community — often runs unopposed for re-election, which is not uncommon in the 10 East End villages, and has only faced one other challenger during his time in office.

Vegliante said he was “shocked” to learn that longtime West Hampton Dunes Deputy Mayor Gary Trimarchi announced in April that Trimarchi was challenging Vegliante in the June 21 election. A month later, commercial real estate developer Irwin R. Krasnow threw his hat in the ring to make it a three-way race in the tiny village at the western tip of the Westhampton barrier island.

“West Hampton Dunes needs a fresh perspective and new vision for the future,” said Trimarchi, who is running on the Dunes Improvement Party line with trustee candidates Priscilla Adam and Salvatore Mattioli. “Our current village technology is archaic. It’s 2024 and people expect and deserve more accessibility to the right information, in the right format from their preferred electronic device.”

Trimarchi, who has lived in the village for 25 years, touted his credentials as serving two decades on the village board, including 12 years as a deputy mayor. He said his priorities are improving transparency, setting term limits, relocating village hall to the heart of the community, protecting local beaches and upgrading the village’s technical infrastructure.

As for Krasnow, besides being a developer, he touted his experience as being an entrepreneur, village zoning board member, community advocate and economic development consultant for the Town of Oyster Bay and City of Long Beach. His Clean Slate Party line running mates are trustee candidates Gina Mulhearn-Cappiello and Howard Freedman, who list their priorities as inclusiveness, integrity, transparency and ethical leadership.

“If elected mayor, I pledge to build a strong foundation for progress, ensure transparent governance, and deliver tangible results that benefit each and every resident,” said Krasnow. “Together, we can create a West Hampton Dunes that protects the quality of life for all of its homeowners.”

Vegliante’s running mates on the Beach Preservation Party liner are incumbent trustees Harvey Gessin and Michael Craig. Running unopposed for re-election is Village Justice Adam Gomerman.

The only other contested mayoral race in the Hamptons pits local businesswoman Barbara Roberts against freshman North Haven Village Mayor Chris Fiore. In North Haven, Roberts — a first-time political candidate who cofounded Save Sag Harbor and previously served on the Suffolk County Planning Commission — stated that she decided to challenge Fiore after she became concerned about whether the budget was being properly managed. Fiore is standing by his record in seeking a second term in the June 18 elections.

TRUSTEE CONTESTS

Three of the Hamptons village elections feature incumbent trustees seeking re-election while facing opposition from challengers trying to unseat them.

In the Village of Sag Harbor, trustees Ed Haye and Jeanne Kane are running for re-election over challengers Ron Reed, a village planning board member, and Mary Ann Eddy, a harbor committee member. That election is on June 18.

In the Village of Southampton, incumbent Deputy Mayor Gina Arresta and Trustee Leonard Zinnanti face challengers Edward Simone and Josh Belery in the June 21 elections. Village Justice Linda Riley is running unopposed for re-election.

In the Village of Sagaponack, incumbent trustees Marilyn Clark and Lisa Duryea Thayer are running for reelection against challengers David G. McMillan, Jr. and Mark Landis in the June 21 elections. Sagaponack Village Mayor William F. Tillotson is running an uncontested race for re-election.

UNCONTESTED ELECTIONS

Three of the village elections in the Hamptons this month have no challengers at all.

East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen, Deputy Mayor Christopher Minardi and Trustee Sandra Melendez are running unopposed for re-election on June 25.

Westhampton Beach Mayor Ralph Urban — who was appointed to the position after Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore, the former mayor, was elected to higher office — is asking voters to return him to office in the June 21 elections. So is Kimberley Monsour, who was appointed to fill a vacancy created by Urban’s ascension to mayor. Christopher Mensch, who had served on the village’s Architectural Review Board, is a newcomer to the board.

And Quogue Mayor Robert Treuhold is running unopposed for re-election along with incumbent trustees Sally Beatty and Thomas Mullen Jr. in the June 21 elections.

RECENT ELECTION

In the Village of Dering Harbor, voters cast their ballots on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend.

In that race Ari Benacerraf was elected mayor to replace outgoing Mayor Karen Kelsey. Trustees Brad Goldfarb and Sam Ashner were re-elected and Eric Deutsch was elected to the open trustee seat vacated by Patrick Parcells. All ran unopposed.

The 10th East End village, Greenport, traditionally holds its elections in March.