Greenport Village Incumbents Win Re-election

Two longtime Village of Greenport trustees won re-election over three challengers on March 18 following a campaign in which the candidates focused on the need for more affordable housing in the community.

Trustee Mary Bess Phillips, who is in the commercial fishing industry, was the top vote getter with 150 ballots cast for her to win her sixth four-year term on the Greenport Pride party line. Trustee Julia Robins, a veteran of the real estate industry, won her fifth term on the Greenport United line with 135 votes.

Of the three political newcomers who challenged the incumbents, Roric Tobin, an interior designer who ran on the Roric for Greenport line, came within four votes of unseating Robins with 131 votes.

Placing fourth was Patricia Hammes, the village planning board chair who ran as a write-in candidate, won 118 votes — beating two of the declared challenges whose names appeared on ballots.

Coming in fifth was Scott Hollid, a stay-at-home dad who ran on the Families First line, got 111 votes. Placing last with 53 votes was Margaret Rose de Cruz, a chiropractor, masseuse and mental health counselor who ran on the All Hands CommUnity party line. 

Phillips resigned her role as deputy mayor in the days before the election amid a falling out with freshman Mayor Kevin Stuessi.

Elections in the other nine East End villages are held each June while the five town-level elections and races for the Suffolk County Legislature will be held in November.