This is a local election year in New York, with races on the ballot for local offices in counties, towns and cities across the state.
In Riverhead, voters will elect a town supervisor and two council members, an assessor and a highway superintendent. Incumbents are seeking re-election in all town races. The assessor and highway superintendent races are uncontested.
Voters will also choose between two candidates for Suffolk County Legislature in the First Legislative District.
The incumbent district attorney, a Republican, and the incumbent county sheriff, a Democrat, are up for re-election. They are both running unopposed.
County Legislature (District 1)
Assessor and highway superintendent candidates
This local election comes with a novel twist: the town officials elected this year will be elected to shortened terms in compliance with the Even Year Election Law enacted by the state in 2023. The Even Year Election Law made changes to the length of terms of office to shift local elections from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years.
A two-year term (supervisor and county legislator) has been shortened to a one-year term for this election only. These offices will be filled again in 2026. Four-year terms (council, assessor, highway superintendent) are shortened to three-year terms for this election only. They will also be filled again in 2028. The terms of the district attorney and sheriff were not affected by the new law, because their terms are fixed by the state constitution, as are the terms of county clerk and county judges.
More coverage: New state law changes local election years to align with federal and state elections after 2025
There is one additional twist that could affect the terms of county legislators elected this year. A proposition on this year’s ballot would amend the county charter to extend the term of office of a Suffolk County legislator from two years to four years — which would be shortened to three years for this election only. The legislators’ offices would be filled again in 2028. County officials said this is intended to preserve the county’s term limits law, which says county officials cannot hold office for more than 12 years.
The charter law, dubbed the “Term Limits Preservation Act,” would prevent legislators from having to resign mid-term if they exceed the county’s 12-year term limit after being elected in an odd-numbered year and re-elected in an even-numbered year, county officials said. It would likewise eliminate the need for any special elections that might result from such resignations. However, the state’s even-year election law already addresses this by stating that time served as a result of a term won in the 2025 election will not count toward local term limits.
Early voting begins Saturday
The 2025 general election gets underway on Saturday, Oct. 25 with the start of early voting in New York, which continues through Sunday, Nov. 2. The early voting polling places in Suffolk are open for eight hours on each of the early voting days, but voting hours vary according to the day of the week.
The early voting polling places are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both Saturdays and Sundays during the early voting period, as well as on Monday, Oct. 27. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 28 and 29, and from 12 noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 30 and 31.
The early voting polling location in the Town of Riverhead is at Riverhead Town Hall, 4 West Second Street, Riverhead, on the basement level.
Voting on Election Day, Nov. 4 takes place at regular polling locations throughout the town. Polls on Election Day will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Voters can check their registration and polling place online at the State Board of Elections website, here.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
