Republicans poised for sweep in local races

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) declared victory in NY-01 Tuesday night before a crowd of supporters in Center Moriches.

Zeldin led challenger Nancy Goroff (D-Stony Brook) 61.3% to 38.7%. Zeldin won 176,317 votes to Goroff’s 111,188 votes Tuesday night, according to unofficial results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

Flanked by his wife and daughters, Zeldin called for unity and working “across the political aisle” to “defeat the coronavirus and continue growing our economy.”

There were nearly 65,000 absentee ballots still to be counted in the First CD as of Monday — 31,097 from registered Democrats, 14,837 from registered Republicans and 15,258 from unaffiliated voters.

Goroff has not conceded. “With tens of thousands of ballots left to be opened, we owe it to voters that every single one be counted,” Goroff’s campaign manager Jacob Sarkozi said in a statement.

Republican candidates in the First Senate District and Second Assembly District appear to have notched decisive victories as well.

Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) leads Laura Ahearn (D-Port Jefferson) with 74,233 votes to Ahearn’s 55,554 — 57.2% to 42.7% — all 212 election districts reporting.

There were 31,771 absentee ballots to be counted in the First Senate District as of Monday — 15,218 from Democrats, 7,118 from Republicans and 7,528 from unaffiliated voters.

Jodi Giglio (R-Baiting Hollow) leads Laura Jens-Smith (D-Laurel), 34,289 votes (62.4%) to with 19,935 votes (36.3%). William Van Helmond (L-Jamesport) trailed with 730 votes (1.3%).

There were 12,580 absentee ballots received in the Second Assembly District as of Monday — 5,538 from Democrats, 3,196 from Republicans and 3,039 from unaffiliated voters.

In the race for Riverhead Town Justice, Sean Walter (R-Wading River) leads Joseph DeBenedetto (D-Riverhead) 7,933 votes to 4,989 votes — 61.1% to 38.5% with all 22 election districts in Riverhead Town reporting.

There were 3,020 absentee ballots to be counted in the Justice Court race as of Monday: 1,260 Democrats, 804 Republicans, and 155 unaffiliated voters.

Thousands more absentee ballots were requested by voters and sent by the board of elections that had not yet been received by the board as of Monday. Voters were able to drop off absentee ballots at any polling place Tuesday. If mailed, they are required to be postmarked by Nov. 3 and must be received by Nov. 10 to be counted.

The Riverhead Town supervisor’s term will remain two years. A proposition to increase the term of office to four years was defeated 66.3% to 33.7%.

A four-year term for county legislators was also rejected by voters, as 70.6% to 29.4% with 1031 of 1052 districts reporting as of midnight.

A county proposition to authorize the transfer of excess funds in the sewer assessment stabilization reserve fund to the taxpayer trust fund appeared poised for passage as of midnight, 53.8% to 46.2%, with 21 out of 1,052 election districts not reporting.