Terms extended until village elections in April

Village mayors and trustees’ terms will be extended for more than a month until rescheduled village elections are held April 28.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo issued an executive order that postponed this week’s village elections over concerns of the coronavirus outbreak.

Multiple villages around Long Island had planned elections, including Massapequa Park, Farmingdale, Patchogue, Valley Stream, South Floral Park, Old Field and Great Neck Plaza.

The executive order that took effect Monday extends terms for current elected village officials. The rescheduled vote aligns with the state’s presidential primary.

"Our top priority has been keeping New Yorkers safe and stopping the spread of the novel coronavirus," the governor said in a statement. "Public health officials have been clear that reducing density is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread, and delaying village elections will help ensure poll workers and voters are not potentially exposed to the virus and at the same time maintain integrity in our election system."

Villages don’t have to take any special action to extend terms an extra month, according to the order.

Old Field Mayor Michael Levine had planned to retire after finishing his sixth term on March 31.

With the governor’s executive order, Levine said, he will serve until a new mayor is sworn in at the village board’s May meeting.

“The residents will have to put up with me for another month,” he joked in an email.

Levine said he was willing to remain in office.

“My feelings are irrelevant given the current coronavirus pandemic,” Levine said. “Our country comes first.”

Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender, who had planned to retire in April, said she will continue her role until early May.

Villages were already prepared to take precautions, such as in Farmingdale where a new pen would have been given out for each voter to mark their ballot.

"They'll have a souvenir of the day," Village Administrator Brian Harty said Friday before Cuomo's executive order. "They'll get one pen to fill out their ballot and go home."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.