Smithtown pols ramp up for election

Smithtown Democrats will screen candidates Monday to run against incumbent Republican town trustees Robert Creighton and Edward Wehrheim in the November election.

A week later, on May 23, the Smithtown Democratic Committee will hold its nominating convention at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 40 Church St., Kings Park, chairman Ed Maher said. The convention will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Maher declined to say who the nominees might be. He said the party would not seek a candidate to run for receiver of taxes, a post currently held by Republican Deanna Varricchio. Maher dismissed the position as a “patronage job” with little authority and said he probably would not cross-endorse the Republican candidate for the job.

“Whoever the Republican nominee is is almost unbeatable,” Maher said.

The Smithtown Republican Committee will hold its nominating convention at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Elks Club on Edgewood Avenue. Varricchio plans to run for re-election.