Elections 2024: 6 Town-Level Races on East End Ballots

East End voters will decide the fate of a half dozen town-level races across the region when they cast their ballots on or before Election Day.

Two candidates are running for a seat on the East Hampton Town Board, three are running for a vacant seat on the Town of Shelter Island board, and there are three town justice races on ballots — one in Riverhead, another on Shelter Island and a third in the Town of Southampton.

The races are the most local during a campaign season featuring former President Donald Trump, a Republican running for his old job against Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat who would be the first female president. This cycle also has congressional races, New York State legislative seats and four propositions on the back of ballots.

Here is a look at the town races being decided during the early voting period that ends Nov. 3 ahead of Election Day on Nov. 5. For more information on where to register and for local polling locations, visit the Suffolk County Board of Elections website suffolkvotes.com

EAST HAMPTON TOWN COUNCIL

Ian Calder-Piedmonte

The Democratic incumbent in this race was appointed to the East Hampton Town Board seat in January to fill an open seat on the board created when Kathee Burke-Gonzalez was elected as the new town supervisor. Calder-Piedmonte, a Springs resident who is co-owner of Balsam Farms, previously served 12 years on the town Planning Board, two of those years as vice chairman, and as liaison to the town’s Agricultural Advisory Committee. “I will work hard for this town in every way I can, and I’m committed to being fair, open-minded, and considerate of all members of our community as we face the opportunities and challenges ahead,” he said upon his appointment.

Hyman Mariampolski

The Republican challenger in this race is a first-time candidate, veteran of the marketing industry, and longtime East Hampton resident who, like the incumbent, prioritizes the housing crisis. Mariampolski blames the issues that the town faces on undocumented immigrants and an “anti-business attitude,” according to The East Hampton Star. The candidate is not actively campaigning, Newsday reported.

SHELTER ISLAND TOWN COUNCIL

Arnott Gooding

The Democratic candidate, who last year lost his bid for the town supervisor’s seat, spent a large majority of his eight years since retiring dedicated to the town. As the longtime chairman of the town’s Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board, he has championed land preservation and is said to be dedicated to protecting the environment. Under his leadership, the town preserved over 55 acres of undeveloped land for water recharge. He also contributed to the acquisition of 20 acres of land in an environmentally sensitive area between South Menantic Road and West Neck Creek. While he is deeply interested in the environment and ambience of the island, Gooding’s campaign is built on the desire to balance it with the need for affordable housing and ‘sensible economic development.” 

Thomas Cronin

The Republican candidate in this rase, who unsuccessfully sought a town board seat last year, retired from the Shelter Island Police Department in 2018 after more than two decades on the force. He has also worked as an EMT when the island’s ambulance service was run by the Red Cross and is a member of the town’s Lions Club. A top issue for Cronin is maintaining the island’s water quality. He’s also a proponent of more affordable housing, including housing for seniors and wants to give town residents more opportunity to speak at town board meetings and during its work sessions. Cronin supports the  police, veterans, EMTs and the fire department. 

Lisa Shaw

Shaw, a third-generation Shelter Islander, is running for a seat on the town council as a member of the Island Action party, which, according to her campaign website, is a “solutions-focused party for Shelter Island issues” and she believes in citizens taking action, “rather than waiting for others to take the initiative.” Issues of importance and concern include housing and community development, clean water, and infrastructure and safety. Her volunteer experience spans across various town committees and within the Historical Society, Lions Club and at the Grace Presbyterian Church. Since 1997, she has served as a member of the West Neck Water District Committee. In addition, she’s also served, since 2020, on the water advisory committee, has campaigned for drug disposal education and headed a committee to codify fertilizer use. 

SHELTER ISLAND TOWN JUSTICE

Stanley Birnbaum

The Democratic incumbent in this race is running for his second four-year term. A practicing attorney for nearly five decades, Birnbaum has worked in a range of areas — 36 of those years focused on the East End. He has extensive knowledge of the court system, state and local laws and has a strong understanding of Shelter Island’s Town Code, according to the Suffolk County Democratic Committee. He believes in treating “everyone fairly and impartially” and has said that the best way to serve his community is to learn constantly and as much as he can, especially in a constantly evolving legal landscape. He was previously a public defender in Suffolk County until 1984. And throughout his career, he has served on several Bar Association committees, and for years, has been involved with multiple nonprofit boards. 

Michael Carey

Carey, a longtime Shelter Island resident, is the Republican challenger seeking to unseat Birnbaum. He has more than 40 years of experience as a lawyer, government official and economic development consultant. Voters in town will find Carey “to be passionate, engaging and highly ethical,” according to the Shelter Island Republican Committee, adding that he is “fiercely independent, mainstream and knowledgeable on the issues.” Carey has previously served as the president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation and chairman of the New York City Industrial Development Agency after having served as general counsel to both agencies. “I am a registered Independent, but will be a Justice for all the people, and if elected, it will be my solemn obligation to apply the rule of law fairly, effectively and firmly when necessary,” Carey said in August in a separate post on that same Facebook page, addressing voters. 

RIVERHEAD TOWN JUSTICE

Sean Walter

Walter, the Republican incumbent Riverhead Town Justice since 2020, has previously served as deputy town attorney for six years and as town supervisor from 2010 to 2017. Walter said the Riverhead Justice Court is one of the busiest courts on Long Island, and that his prior work matters. “If anybody has justice court experience, it’s me,” he said. “The residents know me… I’m asking them to trust me again.”

William Condon

Condon, who served as a New York State Supreme Court justice from 2009 until last year, is a Republican running on the Democratic line. Before his career as a judge, he started at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in 1986. “Justice locally is as important as justice globally,” he said. He points voters to his experience over his opponent. “It’s important that every family knows there are people trying to keep the streets safe.” 

SOUTHAMPTON TOWN JUSTICE

Karen Sartain

Sartain, is one of two incumbent Southampton Town Justices running unopposed on the Democratic and Conservative party lines. She said it shows she’s right for the job, “They have enough confidence to not run anyone against me.” It’s a position the self-declared Democrat has held since 2020, “My political beliefs don’t affect my job. Having the conservative party endorse me shows there’s bipartisan support on the East End.” With no opposition, Sartain has still made an effort to get voters to the booths, “Voting is a privilege, getting out and exercising is what’s important. I want everyone to have their voice heard.”

Adam Grossman

Grossman, is also running unopposed for Southampton Town Justice, a position he currently holds since last year. He lives in Hampton Bays and has worked on the Southampton Zoning Board of Appeals since 2002, where he has sat as a chairperson since 2017. Grossman has practiced law for 31 years and has his own solo law practice in Riverhead. He said he is “thrilled to be running. I hope to continue to be on the job as a town justice. I’m going to be impartial.”