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County Legislator Fleming sails into second term

COURTESY PHOTO Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming
COURTESY PHOTO Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming

Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac), who represents the Island, was a solid winner for a second two-year term capturing 64 percent of votes in Tuesday’s election. Republican challenger Heather Collins took 36 percent of votes.

Ms. Fleming, running with the endorsement of the Democratic, Working Families, Independence and Women’s Equality Party captured 12,945 votes, while Ms. Collins, endorsed by Republican and Conservative parties won 7,291 votes.

“It is truly an honor” to serve the Second District, Ms. Fleming said in a statement. “I’m so proud of our team and deeply grateful.”

In other Shelter Island races outside the supervisors and Town Board seats, candidates were running unopposed.

Long-time Town Clerk Dorothy Ogar pulled down 964 votes; Jay Card Jr. received 929; and assessors Patricia Castoldi and Craig Wood won 886 votes and 867 votes respectively.

In other races, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini was elected as Suffolk County district attorney, earning an overwhelming majority of the votes with 62 percent against Republican Raymond Perini.

Mr. Sini said in his victory speech that his mission was to restore integrity to the DA’s office. “We have a lot of work to do and this work begins immediately,” Mr. Sini said.

The race for sheriff showed Democrat Errol Toulon Jr. with a very slim lead over Republican Lawrence Zacarese. Mr. Toulon had 141,006 votes, or 49.41 percent to 139,652 or 48.93.

On the ballot proposition to hold a constitutional convention, Suffolk Country went along with the rest of the state in turning down the proposition. In Suffolk County, 86.6 percent of voters rejected the proposition while 77.6 percent rejected it statewide.

Proposition 2 to allow a court to reduce or revoke a pension of a public official convicted of a felony with a direct relationship to the performance of that person’s public responsibilities, found Suffolk County and statewide voters aligned.

County voters supported the action 69.2 percent to 30.8 percent, while statewide, the support came from 66.4 percent of voters to 24.9 percent who wouldn’t have allowed such court action.

But on proposition three, to allow up to 250 acres of upstate forest preserve land for use by towns, villages and counties to address specific public health and safety concerns, Suffolk County voters departed from statewide voters. In Suffolk County, 51.4 percent rejected the proposition, while statewide, 46.4 percent voted in favor.