Scott Eidler covers Nassau County government and politics for Newsday. Todd Kaminsky, a Democratic state senator, lost his bid for Nassau County district attorney in part because of his support of the states changes to bail laws. Long Island News - Instagram Our Fabulous Variety Show Open Level Tween + Adult Tap Dance for Ages 11+ at Project Most! The group has cited gambling addiction, crime, traffic, and environmental concerns as reasons to reject the casino proposal. Also up this election cycle are all county. Curran, 53, has not conceded, pointing to the large number of absentee ballots yet to be counted. Nassau County NY Assembly Election Results: Single Race Called Laura Curran conceded in the race for Nassau County executive to Bruce Blakeman on Tuesday. Nassau Hub casino, gun rights, age in elected office, and students I dont like the president, and the Democrats are spending too much money on things like infrastructure, when really we need politicians who are going to bring more money back into this country, said Ms. Sonsini, 56, of Great Neck. While there was no early voting in 2016, the spokeswoman said the number of absentee ballots requested and returned in 2020 has been "tremendously" larger. Through strategic investments in community-based policing, my administration secured Nassau's ranking as the 'safest community in America.' Why Republicans Won in Nassau County - The New York Times The dominant issue in that race was the state's new bail laws. "I won't wait until I take office to work," Blackman told Newsday in an interview. FAQs. In an hourlong interview with Newsday, Blakeman also called for an immediate audit of the county Assessment Department, and said he would consider a new reassessment of Nassau's 385,000 residential properties if the audit recommends it. / CBS New York. It now operates as Northwell Health's Long Island Jewish Valley Stream. Scroll to the bottom to see real-time election results. This is not over and we must trust the process. There are many thousands of absentee ballots that still must be counted, with more coming in, Curran said in a statement. The race for district attorney, a post that has been held by a Democrat since 2006, was won by the Republican Anne Donnelly, a 32-year veteran of the district attorneys office with little prior political experience. He has called on Mr. Jacobs to resign. Laura Curran concedes to Bruce Blakeman in close Nassau executive race Ryan Stanton, executive director of the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and Garry Johnson, the NAACP New York State Conference Economic Development chair, also spoke in favor of the casino. In Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's State of the County address, he referenced the "significant revenue" that the county would receive from a . Upon taking office, Ms. Curran began a process to rework a tax system she called corrupt. But after the reassessments, 65 percent of Nassau County homeowners saw higher taxes, according to a report in Newsday, and Ms. Currans opponents seized on anger about those tax increases. Curran vetoed GOP bills to eliminate the $355 tax map verification fee used to verify a property's section, block and lot. All rights reserved. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. What happened in Nassau County happened in lots of places Suffolk County, upstate New York, Virginia, New Jersey, said Jay Jacobs, the chair of the Nassau County and state Democrats. Nassau County was recently ranked the safest county in the United States by U.S. News and World Report. An ad. The residents of Nassau have taught a masterclass in resilience, and I have plenty in reserve. ", ALSO READ | Election Day 2021: Results for New York & New Jersey. There was a wave, theres no doubt about it, even for an unapologetically pro-business, pro-public safety Democrat, Ms. Curran said in an interview, referring to herself. But on Long Island, the Assembly seats are far more split: Republicans currently control six of the 11 seats in Nassau County. Box 9002. Absentee ballots postmarked no later than Tuesday can continue to arrive by mail to the counties. Long Island Races to Watch This Election Day - LI Press And I'm not going to follow the New York City model. All 150 seats in the New York Assembly are up for election in 2020. An experienced leader in government and homeland security, Blakeman pledges to fix the error-ridden property tax assessment system and provide police the resources needed to combat a rise in crime and shootings. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education. I think basically people have to make their own health care choices.". As usual in Nassau, chief among the campaign issues was the property tax assessment system that has plagued county finances for decades, contributing to billions in debt and the New York State-appointed Nassau Interim Finance Authoritys oversight since 2000. The Senate has 63 seats and the Assembly has 150. Democrat Laura Curran Concedes Nassau County Executive Race To Voters fill out their ballots at the Mastic Beach Fire Department Tuesday morning. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. The supervisor of the town of North Hempstead may soon be a Republican, too. Voters not affiliated with any political party have returned 2,777 absentee ballots. County Executive Blakemans press conference today [was] nothing more than a publicity stunt to try to sway folks who are not paying enough attention, that the proposed Sands project is a fait accompli. More than 144,000 absentee ballots were requested by Republicans and Democrats in Nassau, a spokeswoman for the county Board of Elections told Patch on Friday afternoon. Incumbent Laura Curran concedes race for Nassau County Executive to And we believe that that will bring jobs, economic prosperity, tax relief, and improved safety here in Nassau County.. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for allowing me the opportunity and the privilege to serve you these last four years.". Mr. Kaminsky supported the original bail reform bill. If approved by Nassaus legislative body, Las Vegas Sands will assume control of the Coliseum property to the tune of $54 million paid to the county. That will continue. "So it's not surprising that they can be organized pretty much all the time. "Its on me now to fix it," Blakeman said. Ballots had to be postmarked by Nov. 2, Election Day, and must be received by Nov. 9. After absentee ballots were counted Monday and Tuesday, the county Board of Elections in Mineola confirmed that Blakeman defeated incumbent Laura Curran by 2,150 votes. Can I register in person? Curran said the reassessment produced property values that are accurate. In another Donnelly ad, viewers were met by ominous music and the mustachioed visage of John Wighaus, the president of the Nassau County Detectives Association, who held Mr. Kaminsky responsible for the release of killers, rapists and violent thugs.. You have a valuation problem. Our county must build on this progress, while preparing for the challenges ahead. They staged postcard-writing campaigns and held living-room fund-raisers, and an energized electorate pushed Ms. Curran to become only the third Democrat in 80 years to be county executive in Nassau. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. However, he opposes COVID-19 vaccine mandates for county workers. A career prosecutor, Donnelly is blaming her opponent. Residents who are part of the Say No to the Casino Civic Association say that the negatives of a casino in Nassau would outweigh the economic benefits. Different takes on Nassau Hub casino . She was the ninth county executive in Nassau County history and the first woman to hold the office. There is absolutely nothing to celebrate yet. Republican Bruce Blakeman has declared victory in what looks like a stunning upset of Democratic incumbent Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. Curran was more of a centrist Democrat who was known for working both sides of the aisle, but in the end, experts say Long Island is traditionally Republican in its infrastructure. Montesano won re-election in 2012 with 60 percent of the vote, then again in 2014 with 67 percent. Blakeman served as Hempstead deputy town supervisor under former Democratic Supervisor Laura Gillen. Nassau County Executive-elect Bruce Blakeman won't enforce Gov. I won, said Blakeman the ex-husband of Nancy Shevell, a former MTA board member who married ex-Beatle Paul McCartney in 2011 has previously run unsuccessfully for US Senate, Congress and state comptroller and who currently serves on the Hempstead Town Council. Nassau County Executive Race Neck And Neck; Donnelly Claims Victory In Three more Rensselaer County officials charged with federal offenses According to unofficial returns, Blakeman leads Curran by 11,834 votes: 135,842 to 124,008, a margin of 52% to 47%. TROY Three Rensselaer County government officials including Richard W. Crist, the county's director of operations, have been indicted on . Jacobs said every internal poll had Curran leading Blakeman by double digits. In one ad, the Donnelly campaign recruited the mother of a shooting victim from Syracuse. Blakeman said he has begun to consider staff for key positions. Democrats nominated longtime government worker Gina Sillitti to succeed him and keep the seat under Democratic control. Incumbent Democrat Judy Griffin, meanwhile, held a slim lead over Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick in District 21. Find the results of all local races on our Long Island Election Hub. County Executive Laura Curran's reassessment program took effect for the 2020-21 tax roll. County Executive. Curran called Blakeman Tuesday to concede the race and issued the following statement: "This is not the result we hoped for, but there is so much to be proud of. In Nassau County, Republicans were leading Democrats in seven of the 11 races early Wednesday. Published November 17, 2021 at 12:22 PM EST. Residents who are part of the, Say No to the Casino Civic Association say, Long Island Press email newsletters here, becoming a Long Island Press community partner here, Sag Harbor Whaling & Historical Museum- On an Ocean of Ink, The Long Island Theatrical Premiere of The Prom. Other photos show him with family members including his late parents Robert Blakeman, who served as a New York State assemblyman, and his mother, Betty Blakeman. Concerns over Mr. Bidens handling of Israel also arose several times. "He certainly voted for it and he certainly supported it," Donnelly said. After three years, annual payments to the county would increase to $50 million. Jacobs said the Republicans successfully painted Democrats unfairly in his eyes as too far to the left, while Biden and Democrats are bogged down in policy disputes, which turned off Democratic voters. - Nassau County Executive Laura Curran One such Republican is Bob Goldrick, who attended the Port Washington fundraiser. During the campaign, Curran primarily stressed her record of boosting public safety, the countys high coronavirus vaccination rate and successive budget surpluses. He won a full term on the council later that same year, before being elected to the County Legislature in 1995. Nassau leaders Wednesday celebrated their ranking by U.S. News & World Report as the safest county in the country amid declining major crime figures and increased spending on police and fire protection. There are about 20,000 absentee ballots to be counted but even Democrats concede the odds are long that Curran can overtake Blakeman given the size of his lead. Republican Michael LiPetri currently occupies Assembly District 9, which covers parts of Nassau and Suffolk counties, including South Farmingdale and Massapequa. I have faith in Nassau County and the good work we have accomplished over the last four years. In New York Suburbs, Democrats Flip Two County Executive Seats In conversations with more than a dozen Nassau County voters this week, they cited their overall disapproval of the president, their distaste for vaccine mandates and a fear of funds being diverted from the police as factors in their decision to vote Republican. Its almost like were back temporarily to the 60s and 70s, said Lawrence Levy, executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, referring to a time when Republicans ruled the Nassau County roost. Curran issued rules to strengthen the countys ethics code. The reality is that this is far from a done deal, the group said in a statement. 18 likes, 1 comments - Long Island News | greaterlongisland.com (@greaterlongisland) on Instagram: " The future of Nassau Coliseum is uncertain with the . "These are your roads, these are your parks," she told county residents. Registered Democrats have returned 12,709 absentee ballots and Republicans, 6,284, Scheuerman said. Republican Bruce Blakeman has declared victory in what looks like a stunning upset of Democratic incumbent Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. Bruce Blakeman defeats Laura Curran in Nassau County executive race If they make a personal choice with their physician, that they don't think it's in their health interest to get a vaccination, firing those people is wrong. Weve seen a real red tidal wave thats seems to come across the state. Sarah Lawrence College ( BA) Laura Curran (born December 31, 1967) is a Canadian-born American politician who served as the county executive of Nassau County from 2018 to 2021. Blakeman said he would make vaccinations available to residents who want them, and is fully vaccinated himself. Libertarian Blay Tarnoff is also running as a third-party candidate. I am not for mandatory vaccinations of county employees. [1] He was elected in the 2021 election, defeating Democratic incumbent Laura Curran. He said voter disgust with the bail reform law approved by Democrats in the state Legislature a big issue in the district attorneys race helped put him over the top. Republican Bruce Blakeman declared victory in the Nassau County executive's race early Wednesday, but incumbent Democrat Laura Curran did not concede. Brancato was also previously appointed to a New York City Community Planning Board. This is not over and we must trust the process. 2021 Election Day Results: Laura Curran, Tim Sini lose as red wave Here are the latest results from the Nassau County Board of Elections with more than 99 percent of the precincts in. Blakeman leads Curran in tight race for Nassau County executive Who Makes The Best Cookies on Long Island? What happened was Republican voters overperformed dramatically and Democratic voters underperformed.. I dont like the way President Biden handled the country leaving Afghanistan, Ms. Alleva said. ", Curran continued: "Every Nassau resident who participated in this election is owed the opportunity to have their voice heard. Las Vegas Sands has won the first . I was not the author of the bail reform law," Kaminsky said. I declare victory. Though Mr. Kaminsky vastly outspent Ms. Donnelly on advertising that tried to portray him as a tough-on-crime former prosecutor her campaign spent more than $800,000 on television and online ads, according to the state Board of Elections, while his spent about $1.3 million as of mid-October the Donnelly campaigns message stuck. Curran was elected as Nassau's first female executive in 2017. Blakeman Declares Victory Over Nassau Exec Curran, Who's Not Conceding There is always going to be an institutional struggle. As of Monday, the Nassau Board of Elections had received 19,895 absentee ballots out of 38,348 requested. In 2019, New York State curtailed bail for many nonviolent defendants, who might otherwise have stayed in pretrial detention because they could not pay. "Those are always big issue here in the suburbs," he said. When we struggle to get things passed, some of the air comes out of the bubble, he said. Now, Michael Durso, the current sanitation supervisor for the Town of Oyster Bay, hopes to fend off a possible blue wave and keep LiPetri's seat under Republican control. I look forward to working with her to ensure an orderly transition and have confidence that Nassau will remain America's safest county.". Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman endorsed a controversial plan that would allow Las Vegas Sands Corp. to operate a casino at the Nassau Coliseum site. Republicans were energized while Democrats took the political hit for Obamacare and other spending programs. The Sands would also pay $1.8 million annually to the Nassau County Police Department for police enforcement in the area. In the race for Nassau County executive, Republican Bruce Blakeman is leading Democratic incumbent Laura Curran. Nassau County voters turned out early in droves, following a pattern seen nationwide. Blakeman did not rule out putting his name and title on the signs. The residents of Nassau have taught a master class in resilience, and I have plenty in reserve.". To start out, the Sands will pay $5 million per year. Curran, 53, is seeking a second term against Blakeman, 66, of Atlantic Beach, a Hempstead Town Council member. She issued a statement saying shes awaiting the counting of absentee ballots. Laura Curran, the Democratic county executive, was blamed by her opponent for raising property taxes. Laura Curran - Wikipedia Nassau County executive's race: Finances, reassessment are - Newsday But for him to not recognize that part of this is on him is a little bit crazy., Why Republicans Won in a New York County Where Democrats Outnumber Them, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/08/nyregion/nassau-county-republicans-election.html. Curran said her administration, by updating assessments, produced an accurate tax roll and fair system for assessing properties. The amounts would be at least cut in half without a casino as part of the resort.