In Nassau's 14th LD, a harvest of ballots and questionable signatures

Daily Point

Top ballot harvesters in a Nassau district have GOP political ties

The race for Nassau County legislator in the 14th District has featured an interesting wrinkle this year — hundreds of absentee ballots being harvested by political insiders in the redrawn district, which the GOP hopes its new candidate will win.

The race, considered open since Republican C. William Gaylor III isn't seeking reelection, pits Republican Sheharyar Ali against Democrat Cynthia Nuñez. At least 58% of absentee ballots collected in-person countywide have come from the 14th Legislative District. Several of the folks collecting those in-person ballots appear to be experts at the art of aggressively matching voters to paper ballots. And we are told a disproportionate number of ballots found by a bipartisan panel at the Nassau County Board of Elections to have questionable signatures that would need further verification to be counted are in the 14th.

Picking up absentee ballots in person for other people is legal in New York.

Valley Stream Deputy Mayor John Tufarelli had the most ballots harvested with 115. Other Valley Stream officials who harvested ballots include: Highway Superintendent Steve Acquavella (52); Recreation Department Director Jimmy Fitanzo (41); and 2nd alternate to the Planning Board, Angel Freire (21). Fire Department Chief Anthony Capone harvested 43 absentee ballots. Hewlett Harbor Village trustee Hamza Akram harvested 71. All are Republicans.

For those trying to read the political tea leaves, early voting totals in the 14th LD look favorable to Nuñez. A total of 1,623 Democrats voted early compared with 1,150 Republicans. A total of 605 blanks, Independents and Conservatives voted early.

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

Pencil Point

The sign-off

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Quick Points

Will Election Day bring presents or coal for LI political hopefuls?

Happy Election Day eve! The Point is more excited than Ralphie on Christmas Eve.

• Will write-in candidate Robert Trotta pull off the stunner of the century in Smithtown? Did the supervisor switcheroo in Hempstead poison the well for Republicans? Will the new efforts to bring Nassau County's vote-counting system into the 21st century succeed and produce timely election results?
• Trotta, a term-limited Republican Suffolk County legislator, ran an unsuccessful primary for Smithtown supervisor against incumbent Edward R. Wehrheim. When Democratic supervisor candidate Rosemary Griffin dropped out for health reasons, too late to be scratched from the ballot, Democrats did what any effective political party would do — back a rival for write-in. Trotta has the same chance of winning as an eight-leg parlay featuring the Jets.
• Tuesday's election for Hempstead Town supervisor has been like a game of musical chairs — or three-card monte. First, Democrats named a candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Donald X. Clavin Jr. Then, both Clavin and the Democratic candidate declined their party’s nominations. Next, Republican John R. Ferretti Jr. announced he would run — and then resigned as Nassau County legislator to be appointed supervisor so he could run as the incumbent, a move challenged in the courts. Joe Scianablo was named the Democratic nominee. What will voters not turned off by playing whack-a-mole decide?
• Repeat candidate-in-name-only Tricia Chiaramonte is running this time for Brookhaven Town clerk against incumbent Republican Kevin J. LaValle. This is the fifth time since 2011 Chiaramonte, a Democrat, has run for office without actively campaigning. Her campaign this year has the zest of a Southern drawl.
• Proving yet again that elections for judges on Long Island are as popular as MySpace, there are 19 candidates running for 19 slots in various Nassau courts and 12 candidates running for 13 spots in assorted Suffolk courts. The New York State Supreme Court 10th District race is hotly contested — nine candidates running for eight seats. Judge elections on Long Island make as much sense as buying NFTs.

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

Final Point

Digital flub for LIer's 'Cuomo hot girl' site

This is a small tale of what used to be called the "silly season," an episode that might never have existed before the age of so-called internet influencers.

Emily Austin, 24, of Hewlett Harbor, is one such online presence. She has covered boxing and tennis for a London-based streaming sports and entertainment platform, carries messages in support of Israel and of President Donald Trump, and sells a line of beauty products with "plant-based, cruelty-free ingredients."

Last year, County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman chose her as one of five nonpaid members of the Nassau County Bridge Authority Board of Commissioners. That body maintains and handles tolls for the Atlantic Beach Bridge connecting Lawrence to Atlantic Beach, where Blakeman has a residence.

As a run-up to Election Day, Austin, whose plaudits include helping to judge the 2022 Miss Universe pageant, launched something called "Hot Girls for Cuomo," as she announced Oct. 21 on X. "If you are a hot girl for Andrew Cuomo, I want to hear from you," she said.

But Austin didn't secure the domain hotgirlsforcuomo.com. Somebody else did. So, when you visit the site, it shows you, with no narrative, a document that was quite hot when issued in August 2021: Attorney General Letitia James’ report on sexual harassment allegations against then-Gov. Cuomo.

The claims are one reason he's no longer governor — and ran but lost in the Democratic mayoral primary in June. Now Cuomo is running on an independent line, trying to catch front-runner democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. Those in the political world who oppose Mamdani — Austin included — see Cuomo as a last chance.

Judging by glances on the web, however, the domain fiasco did not faze Austin immediately. Over a headline that had been updated to say, "A cheeky bid to mobilize 'hot girls' for scandal-plagued Andrew Cuomo backfired," she posted: "Mom look I'm trending!"

So awkward! 

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

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