Kevin Stuessi, a real estate consultant, won a three-way race...

Kevin Stuessi, a real estate consultant, won a three-way race for Greenport mayor, defeating incumbent Mayor George Hubbard Jr., who was first elected in 2015.  Credit: Randee Daddona

This story was reported by Denise M. Bonilla, Brinley Hineman, Brianne Ledda, Jean-Paul Salamanca, Nicholas Spangler and Darwin Yanes. It was written by Joe Werkmeister.

Voters across Long Island on Tuesday elected trustees, judges and mayors, including in Greenport Village, where three newcomers emerged victorious to oust a pair of incumbents.

Kevin Stuessi, a real estate consultant, won a three-way race for mayor, while Lily Dougherty-Johnson and Patrick Brennan won seats on the village board of trustees.

Stuessi received 299 votes to defeat incumbent Mayor George Hubbard Jr., who was first elected in 2015. Hubbard received 101 votes while candidate Rich Vandenburgh received 91.

“I feel deeply honored that the community voted for me and with such a wide margin,” Stuessi, 49, told Newsday on Wednesday. “I’ve got a lot of work to do and I’m excited to get to work.”

In the race for two trustee positions, Brennan received 294 votes and Dougherty-Johnson picked up 290. Incumbent Jack Martilotta, who was also first elected in 2015, lost his seat on the board with 124 votes. Candidate Monique Gohorel received 176 votes. Incumbent Peter Clarke decided not to run for reelection.

Dougherty-Johnson, 42, told Newsday on Wednesday she was “happily surprised” by the results.

“It’s definitely a relief and joy,” she said.

The election faced wider scrutiny after seven of the previous nine candidates received notification from the village in February that they would not be on the ballot due to a paperwork issue. The controversy was ultimately resolved and a state Supreme Court judge allowed the names on the ballot.

Dougherty-Johnson said she felt there has been increased engagement in the village due to several issues, such as a proposed moratorium on waterfront commercial property. She also said the recent ballot controversy resulted in stronger voter turnout.

In a three-way race for two Head of the Harbor Village trustee seats in the Town of Smithtown, voters returned incumbents Jeffrey Fischer and Daniel White with 186 and 164 votes, respectively. Challenger Lisa Davidson had 141 votes.

In the Village of Islandia in the Town of Islip, incumbents Patricia Peters, Raymond Bush and Victor Montanez III kept their seats in a race for trustee with 264, 269 and 281 votes, respectively.

Leida Morales came closest among the challengers, with 201 votes. Daniel Ehrhardt Jr. took 193 votes and Irene Jeanette Reyes trailed with 186.

Justice W. Alexander Melbardis, who ran unopposed, was reelected with 223 votes.

In the race for Amityville Village justice in the Town of Babylon, incumbent Joseph L. Calabrese defeated challenger Peter I. Collorafi by a vote of 565-98 for the remaining two years of the four-year term of Debra Urbano-DiSalvo, who stepped down last fall.

Residents in several Hempstead Town villages also headed to the polls Tuesday, including in Bellerose, where incumbent Kenneth Moore ran unchallenged for mayor and received 252 votes. Incumbents Daniel Driscoll and Joseph Juliano were reelected to their trustee seats. Driscoll got 231 votes, Juliano received 211 and challenger John Buechler got 115. Incumbent Brendan Sweeney, who was unopposed for the village justice position, received 258 votes. 

In a tight race for Garden City mayor, Mary Carter Flanagan defeated Judy Courtney, 1,351-1,226. Edward T. Finneran was elected trustee with 1,514 votes, along with Michele Harrington with 1,312 votes, and incumbent Bruce J. Chester with 1,215 votes. They defeated opponents Michael J. Sullivan, who got 1,097 votes; Richard A. Williams, who garnered 986 votes; and Mayor Cosmo Veneziale, who received 984 votes.

In Hempstead Village, incumbents Jeffery J. Daniels and Noah Burroughs were reelected trustees with 731 and 695 votes, respectively. Joylette Williams lost with 342 votes, along with LaMont E. Johnson, who got 340 votes.

Trustee Timothy Sullivan defeated Deputy Mayor Perry Cuocci as Malverne mayor by a 1,310-687 vote. Scott Edwards was elected as a four-year trustee with 1,259 votes along with incumbent Carl Prizzi with 1,125 votes. Brian Lewis Jr. lost with 769 votes. Incumbent Lori Lang, who was recently appointed trustee, ran unopposed to finish out her term with 1,202 votes. Incumbent James Frankie, who ran unopposed, received 1,635 votes to serve as village justice.

In Stewart Manor, incumbent Peter Healy secured his trustee seat with 197 votes. Challenger William Grogan beat incumbent Mary Carole Schafenberg by 161-128.

In Valley Stream, incumbent Edwin A. Fare won the mayoral seat with 2,337 votes. Challengers Anthony Bonelli and Cristinia Arroyo Rodriguez lost with 760 and 372 votes, respectively. Dermond E. Thomas won a trustee seat with 2,495 votes along with Kevin Waszak, who got 2,422 votes. Nicolas Nascimento Nogueria lost with 951 votes, as did Amil Verani with 925 votes. Incumbent Melanie A. Jenkins defeated justice opponent Charles A. Lawson with a 2,485-930 vote.

In Roslyn Estates, part of the Town of North Hempstead, voters reelected incumbent Mayor Paul Peters over Todd Teichman, 250-66.

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