League of Women Voters sets debate plans; Democrats to be live

The Democratic candidates for the 1st U.S. Congressional District and 1st N.Y. Senatorial District will face off in a pair of debates held by the League of Women Voters of Hamptons, Shelter Island and North Fork.

The Democratic primary for these seats, both of which represent Shelter Island, will be on Tuesday, June 23. The first debate on Monday, June 1 at 7 p.m., can be viewed by the public on YouTube.com, SeaTVSouthampton and then any time thereafter on the same channel, starting June 2.

The June 8 debate at 7 p.m. will feature the five Democratic candidates for the seat held by State Senator Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson), who is retiring. That debate can also be viewed live on the YouTube and will be available for viewing June 9 and thereafter.

Meeting in the first debate will be Suffolk County Legislator Bridget M. Fleming (D-Water Mill), who is also an attorney; businessman Perry Gershon of East Hampton, who ran against incumbent Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) in 2018; Nancy S. Goroff, Ph.D., chair of the chemistry department at Stony Brook University; and Gregory-John Fischer of Calverton, a business strategist.

The June 8 debate will bring together Laura A. Ahearn of Port Jefferson, attorney and executive director of the Crime Victims Center; Valerie M. Cartright of Port Jefferson Station, a Brookhaven Town Councilmember; Skyler Johnson of Mt. Sinai, a political science student at Suffolk County Community College; Tommy-John Schiavoni of North Haven, a Southampton Town Councilmember; and Nora Higgins of Ridge, Regional Coordinator of Public Employees Federation.

For the June 23 primary, in-person early voting will be available at the polls from June 13-21 and voting by absentee ballot is available by filling out an absentee ballot application and citing “temporary illness.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has issued an executive order providing that all registered voters receive an absentee ballot application by mail, along with a postage-paid return envelope, that needs to be received by the Suffolk County Board of Elections, PO Box 700, Yaphank Ave., Yaphank, NY 11980 by June 16.

The postmark deadline for the absentee ballot itself to be mailed back is June 22.

Information is available from the Suffolk County Board of Elections at 631-852-4500 or League of Women Voters website at lwvny.org.