Nassau, Suffolk primaries set for Tuesday

Voters from Long Beach to Southold will go to the polls Tuesday in primaries that will decide major-party candidates for town and county offices or award minor-party lines that could prove crucial in tight November contests.

The dozen primaries in Suffolk include Democratic races for supervisor and two town board seats in Riverhead and Republican town board contests in Brookhaven and Smithtown.

Nassau has 10 primaries. They include races in the 5th, 16th, 18th and 19th legislative districts pitting candidates Republicans had put forward under both old district lines and new ones that the courts have struck down. Democrats have one legislative primary in the 12th District.

In Suffolk, the top race is for the Democratic nomination for Riverhead Town supervisor. Party designee Philip Cardinale faces Gregory Fischer of Calverton. On the slate with Fischer is town board challenger Ruth Pollack. She's running against Democratic Party designee Matthew Van Glad and Marlando Williams, who last week disavowed Fischer.

In the GOP primary in Brookhaven's 2nd Council District, former Republican assistant town attorney Raymond Negron is challenging incumbent town board member Jane Bonner, a Conservative who also runs on the GOP line.

In Smithtown, GOP activist Lawrence Grey faces incumbent GOP town board members Edward Wehrheim and Robert Creighton, Suffolk's former police commissioner. Creighton and Wehrheim also face a Conservative primary from former town Conservative leader Daniel Donnelly.

In the Democratic primary in the Nassau Legislature's 13th District, Patricia Maher faces party designee Joseph Spinola, a Conservative. Spinola also is challenging veteran GOP Legis. Norma Gonsalvez in a Conservative primary in the district. All are from East Meadow.

The GOP legislative primaries caused by the disputed redistricting will have Christian Browne, a two-time GOP contender from Rockville Centre, facing Fred J. Jones of Merrick in the 5th L.D.; James Milano of Oyster Bay vying with Sea Cliff Mayor Bruce P. Kennedy in the 16th, and Robert Germino of Glen Cove squaring off against Donald MacKenzie of Oyster Bay in the 18th. Jones also is running for the Conservative line in the 19th District against Jaswick Williams of Elmont.

Other Nassau primaries:

4th Legislative District: Conservative primary with Conservative James T. McDermott of Baldwin challenging Legis. Denise Ford, a Democrat who runs on the Republican line;

Second District Court for Hempstead and Long Beach: Independence Party primary in which Republicans Gary Knobel of Oceanside, Anthony Paradiso of Rockville Centre and Eric Bjorneby of Malverne face Democrats Christian McElroy of Garden City, Carmen Victoria St. George of Roosevelt and Anthony Rattoballi of Garden City for three judicial posts. Knobel, St. George, McElroy and Rattoballi also are competing for the Working Families line.

Other Suffolk primaries:

3rd Legislative District: Independence primary between Legis. Kate M. Browning (WF-Shirley) and Republican Susan Sineo of Manorville.

7th L.D.: Independence primary between Dennis Garetano of Huntington Station and party designee Legis. Louis D'Amaro (D-North Babylon).

Islip Seventh District Court: Conservative primary between Republican and Conservative designee David Morris of Oakdale and Democrat Robert J. Curran of Bayport. Southold Town Justice: Conservative and Independence primaries with Republican Rudolph H. Bruer and Democrat Brian J. Hughes.