Elections

The upcoming school district election will fill four open seats on the Riverhead Board of Education: three positions that will be vacant at the end of the school year as a result of the expiration of terms of office and a fourth seat that became vacant when board member Laurie Downs resigned this week.

Election integrity matters — and it begins with the integrity of people seeking our votes. The election of George Santos is a debacle that should not have happened. Can it happen here? We take a hard look at what the local press must do to make sure it never does.

Early voting in the Nov. 8 general election will get underway in Suffolk County on Saturday and continue daily through Sunday Nov. 6. Here are the locations, dates and times.

Whatever excuse you’ve had in the past for not voting isn’t good enough in these times. Without participation by eligible voters, we won’t have representative government any more. It’s that simple.

The New York State Court of Appeals today struck down redistricting maps passed by the state legislature’s Democratic majority and signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul that would have given Democrats a strong chance to flip New York State’s first congressional district blue in this November’s election. 

Congressional and State legislative redistricting maps for New York State were signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul last night, solidifying election boundaries for November that could help Democrats flip districts across the state and on the East End.

A proposed redistricting map expected to be approved by the New York State Legislature as soon as today would separate Riverhead Town from the rest of the East End in the State Assembly and put Southold Town in the First Assembly District with the the South Fork and Shelter Island. 

Residents of Flanders, Riverside and Northampton will find themselves in a new county legislative district next year, if a redistricting plan being advanced by the legislature’s current majority caucus wins final approval. Republicans in the legislature have sued to block the Democrats' effort, which they call a last-minute power grab before a new Republican majority takes control in January.

There are nine candidates for three open seats on the Riverhead Board of Education — and board president Greg Meyer is not among them.

All registered voters in New York will automatically be mailed an application for an absentee ballot for the primary elections scheduled on June 23, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at his daily briefing this morning.