Candidates’ forum slated for Sunday
Seven candidates — two seeking the supervisor’s seat and five vying for two seats on the Town Board — will take the stage Sunday at the Shelter Island School auditorium for the traditional League of Women Voters of Shelter Island Candidates Forum.
League member Cathy Kenny will moderate the forum, which runs from 1 to 4 p.m.
Current Supervisor Gary Gerth is endorsed by the Republican Party, while the Democrats have put up two-time former supervisor Gerry Siller. Mr. Siller served between 1998 and 2001.
Two incumbent Town Board members are seeking another term. Democrat Jim Colligan has served four years, and Paul Shepherd, who secured the most votes in any contested race when he sought re-election in 2015, was bypassed by the Republican Party and his name will appear on the Conservative Party line on the ballot. A win would give him a third term.
The Democrats have also put up Mike Bebon, chairman of the Water Advisory Committee and the Community Housing Board, as their choice for a Town Board seat, while the Republicans chose Marcus Kaasik and Julia Romanchuk Weisenberg to carry their banner. Mr. Kaasik ran a close race in 2017 for Town Board. On election night it appeared he had been successful, but a recount revealed that the four-year term went to Democrat Albert Dickson by a margin of 10 votes.
Mr. Kaasik is a member of the town Planning Board.
Ms. Weisenberg, a newcomer to elective politics, is a member of the Water Quality Improvement Advisory Board. GOP Chairman Gary Blados said the party wanted to put up young candidates, since members believed this was a generation that has not had sufficient representation in town government.
EARLY VOTING
For the first time in New York State, early voting is allowed for the November election. On Shelter Island, voting takes place at the American Legion Hall/Recreation Center for those who choose to cast their ballots in advance of the Nov. 5 election.
Early voting will occur at the following times: Saturday, Oct. 26 or Sunday, Oct. 27 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 28 between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 29 between noon and 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 30 and Thursday, Oct. 31 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.; Friday Nov. 1 from noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
