A Split Decision for Major Parties in Newly Created Council Districts
Even this year, with Council Districts replacing at-large voting for the town board, a town-wide race drew attention.
The position of Receiver of Taxes, vacant as a result of the departure of former office-holder Alexis Weik for a seat in the New York State Senate, was filled by another Republican, Andrew T. Wittman, III.
Andy Wittman will oversee the proper collection and distribution of tax monies in accordance with NYS Real Property Tax Laws and the Suffolk County Tax Act, the primary function of this administrative but important office.
Wittman, who won a GOP primary earlier this year, won handily on Tuesday with the addition of the Conservative line, defeating Democrat Donovan Currey, who ran on the Democrat and Working Families lines. Wittman outpolled Currey by more than 14,000 votes with just over 2,100 absentee ballots yet to be counted.
“I don’t even know the words to say,” offered Wittman about his victory on Election Night. “It’s been very surreal, the whole process, not just for myself, but to see how things have changed.”
“I’m just very thankful for everyone… my family, my wife, my three kids. My mom has really been by my side this whole time, as well as my campaign manager, Joe Stassi. He’s been right by me since day one, going all the way back to March. So, to be able to come out on top as a person who’s never run for office before against someone who’s run for office twice, before was just an amazing, amazing feeling of accomplishment, “ he added.
Council District One
In the inaugural contest for Council District One, Republican Manny Troche fell short of his hoped-for win, losing to Democrat Jorge Guadron by some 1,000 votes with just over in their face-off for the second Islip Town Council seat.
Guadron is the President of the El Salvadorian Chamber of Commerce, in addition to being a small business owner and former assistant shop steward of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union, Local 100. Troche is a Brentwood Fire Department volunteer of 18 years and bilingually-skilled recipient of the Spanish Heritage Award.
Come January, Guadron will represent the new First District encompassing the Baywood, Brentwood and North Bay Shore communities.
Council District Two
Republican Councilman Jim O’Connor won re-election to the Town Council by a large margin, but in a first-ever run in the councilmanic district. His campaign was a locally historic one – as it was the first instance in which an incumbent ran following the redrawing of Islip’s electoral map, a maneuver effectively designed to do away with the process of “at-large voting” altogether.
In the “new” seat, O’Connor will represent the constituents of District Two in the hamlets of East Islip, Islip Terrace, Bohemia, Oakdale, Hauppauge, Central Islip, North Great River, and Great River.
The accomplished lawyer and small business owner, also notably the father of a non-verbal son, said he expects to continue his efforts raising awareness regarding Autism and as an active member of the Town of Islip Disability Advisory Board, which he currently chairs.
District Court Judge
Islip voters also chose two Judges for the 5th District Court.
Jonathan R. Bloom and Bernard C. Cheng, both running on the Republican and Conservative lines, were elected, with roughly 35,000 votes and 33,000 votes respectively.
County Legislature
In the 8th Legislative District, incumbent Republican Anthony Piccirillo easily defeated Democrat Peter Russo, who did not active campaign. Two years ago in 2019, Piccirillo ousted an incumbent Democrat in a rematch from 2017.
He currently serves on the Environment, Parks, Agriculture Committee, Public Works and Transportation, as well as the Veterans and Consumer Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Environmental Trust Review Board as the minority caucus representative and on the Capital Budget Working Group. His top legislative priorities are finding a solution to solve the debt crisis in Suffolk County, protecting our drinking water, and halting the overdevelopment of our suburbs while promoting smart growth.
In the 10th LD, Republican Trish Bergin defeated Democrat Carla Simpson to retain term-limited Tom Cilmi’s seat for the GOP, by over 5,000 votes with a little more than 500 absentees outstanding.
For the past 12 years, the term-limited Bergin has served as Councilwoman in the Town of Islip. She campaigned on her fiscally conservative decision-making, and seeks to improve infrastructure and water quality for all of Suffolk’s residents.
“When I was a reporter and a news anchor, I always wanted to get to the bottom of the truth of an issue, and then I wanted to project it and make it real and make solutions happen,” she said Tuesday. “I feel like I can do that during the government service that I have chosen, first in the town and now at the county, so I’m so excited to be able to continue my work to work to the people of Suffolk County.”
In the 11th Legislative District, incumbent Republican Steve Flotteron defeated Democrat Astrid Fidelia by more than 6,000 votes with fewer than 600 absentees outstanding.
Flotteron was elected to represent the 11th LD in 2017. In addition to running an insurance practice for the past 30 years, he brought to bear 15 years of Town and County government experience to the legislature.
In the 9th Legislative District, incumbent Democrat Samuel Gonzalez defeated Republican Maxima Castro, who did not actively campaign.
