BJ Ianfolla takes her seat on the Town Board

BJ Ianfolla was sworn in Friday evening for a seat on the Town Board by Supervisor Gerry Siller.

A Democrat, Ms. Ianfolla was elected to complete former councilman Mike Bebon’s remaining two years on the Town Board after his resignation last year.

A twice-elected Town Assessor, Ms. Ianfolla defeated Republican candidate Marcus Kaasik by a count of 732 to 663.

Before the election, Ms. Ianfolla told the Reporter that one of her priorities, if elected, would be “to work to reverse the environmental degradation that has already resulted from the accelerating growth on the East End, while ensuring the continuation of our special Island community is reflected in a new Comprehensive Plan.”

A month after Election Day, there’s still no indication when the Suffolk County Board of Elections (BOE) will certify a candidate for a four-year seat on the Town Board between Republican Meg Larsen and Democrat Brett Surerus.

A decision is expected to come sometime next week, but no date has been given for a final hand count. After recording Election Day votes, early balloting and write-ins, the result was Ms. Larsen defeating Mr. Surerus by just six votes for the four-year term.

But a new State law requires a recount of the election. The law, which went into effect in January, triggers a recount “where the margin of victory is 20 votes or less; or where the margin of victory is 0.5% or less …”

The Suffolk Board of Elections is now required by the legislation to “conduct a full manual recount of all ballots.”

The election in the 6th Legislative District, which is in the northeast part of Brookhaven Town with about 50,000 registered voters, is in court at the moment, and according to BOE officials, the judge in the case has ordered that a hand count of that district has priority over other close elections in the County. Still waiting for a hand count, along with Shelter Island in certain elections, are Southampton and Southold.