BACK WHEN

50 YEARS AGO


Armed forces key to supervisor’s office


The military ballot — a fringe benefit that many have not heretofore given much attention [to] — shines strongly in the limelight today, as all Shelter Island awaits the receipt of a handful of votes cast by Islanders who are serving in the armed forces. These 10 ballots (one source quotes the figure as 8) will be the ones that will re-elect Evans Griffing to the office of supervisor or upset an applecart of long standing and put Democrat Louis Price in the driver’s seat of Shelter Island government for the next two years. • NOVEMBER 7, 1959


25 YEARS AGO


Reagan wins on Island in heavy voting


Last Tuesday’s elections proved beyond a doubt that Shelter Island is still Republican country. Ronald Reagan won handily here, garnering 939 votes as opposed to Walter Mondale’s 398 in unofficial voting tallies. The tallies do not include absentee vote counts. • NOVEMBER 8, 1984


10 YEARS AGO


Editorial: Elections


What can we say about elections, here on Shelter Island?


First, they make us nervous. Nervous about the important issues for this small Island that can hang on the outcome. Nervous for the people who are running, for the human dimension of their leaving themselves open to criticism when they take a stand on an issue. Nervous that they won’t take a stand because sometimes they don’t. Nervous that the campaigns will get down and dirty, stray off the issues, and into matters that have nothing to do with functioning in elected office. • NOVEMBER 4, 1999