Great Neck Library election results arrive, after delay of nearly a month

The results of a contentious Great Neck Library election saw incumbent board president Liman Mimi Hu and newcomer Rory Lancman victorious in a tight race, which stalled for nearly a month after two candidates filed a lawsuit objecting to the legitimacy of several proxy votes.

In the race for Hu’s seat and a four-year term on the seven-seat board, challenger Jessica Hughes was defeated 1,760-1,753, according to results released Tuesday on the library’s website. Lancman defeated Christina Rusu 1,683-1,626, while Karen Hirsch Romero received 154 votes.

In the race for a spot on the library's nominating committee, which brings with it a three-year term and a role of selecting candidates for the Board of Trustees, Kim Schader defeated challenger Sara Rivka Khodadadian by 1,688-1,667.

In a joint statement, Hu, Lancman, and Schader thanked their opponents, while expressing gratitude for the victory.

“We thank everyone who voted — regardless of who they voted for — and thank everyone for their patience as we fought to ensure that every vote was counted,” the statement said. “We thank Jessica Hughes, Christina Rusu, Karen Hirsch Romero, and Sara Rivka Khodadadian for putting themselves and their ideas forward to the voters. The Great Neck Library is a special place for all of us. We seek your input and your support for keeping the Great Neck Library a place of free expression, enrichment, opportunity, and growth.”

The election, which was held on Oct. 31, was delayed after Hughes and Rusu filed a lawsuit on Nov. 7 in state Supreme Court in Nassau, seeking to have several proxy ballots reviewed by the court. The plaintiffs claimed there were irregularities in the election.

According to court documents, the lawsuit was dropped in mid-November after an agreement was made to have two experienced officials from the Nassau County Board of Elections assess the election and inspect the ballots in question.

Hughes could not be immediately reached for comment and Rusu declined to comment. Romero could not be immediately reached for comment, as well.

The election saw a significant turnout, with 3,507 total votes cast, according to the library.

Cultural clashes played a major role in the contest: Hu, Lancman and Schader were backed by those who advocated for specific diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the library. Hughes, Rusu and Rivka-Khodadadian argued against what they deemed to be "inappropriate" library content and saw supporters on that front.

Rivka-Khodadadian could not be immediately reached for comment.