With the NYS 1st Senate District up for grabs, it’s time to meet the candidates vying for the post held by Kenneth LaValle, who announced his retirement in January.
LaValle, a Republican from Port Jefferson, was first elected to represent the district that includes Shelter Island in 1977. Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo, a Republican from New Suffolk, is GOP’s selection to replace LaValle. We’ll post more about him as we approach the election in November.
5 Dems in state primary
Meantime, five Democrats face off in the primary, which takes place Tuesday, June 23. It was rescheduled, along with the presidential primary due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The entrants are scheduled to speak at a virtual Meet the Candidates Forum sponsored by the Setauket-based Three Villages Democratic Club on May 14, 7:30PM.
Shelter Island Democratic Committee chair Heather Reylek sent an email with the Zoom event details to the party membership on the Island. If you’d like an invitation, you can use this form to contact her: shelterislanddems.com/contact/.
Meantime, to learn about the candidates, follow these links:
- Laura Ahearn, an attorney and social worker, ahearnforstatesenate.com
- Valerie Cartwright, a Brookhaven Town Board member, cartright2020.com
- Nora Geiser Higgins, a nurse at Stony Brook University Hospital, facebook.com/ngeiser1
- Skyler Johnson, a student at Suffolk County Community College, skylerforsenate.com
- Tommy John Schiavoni, a Southampton Town Board member, tommyjohnfornewyork.com
Voting during COVID-19
New York State has cancelled in-person voting for school district elections (they’ll take place by mail — read this Gazette post for details); but voters can still go to the polls on June 23, while adhering to social distancing measures.
To reduce crowding at polling stations, the governor signed an executive order to permit any registered voter to request an absentee ballot by checking off “temporary illness or physical disability” as a reason for not appearing in person.
Furthermore, also by executive order, the state will send absentee ballot applications (along with postgage-paid return) to every active or inactive voter on the rolls. You can also download the form here.
Voting by absentee ballot is a two-step process. For the primary, the application must be mailed with a postmark no later than June 16. Voters whose applications are approved, will receive ballots in the mail. These must be postmarked for return no later than 22.
The last pickup from mailboxes at both Shelter Island post offices occurs at 4PM daily.
Absentee ballots may also be delivered in person to the local Board of Elections polling station by someone other than the voter on June 23.