Polls close tonight at 9 p.m., but The Suffolk Times will have continued live coverage of the 2025 election before and after the results roll in.
More than 50,000 voters cast early or mail-in ballots for the candidates between Oct. 25 and Nov. 2 out of the 1,129,835 registered voters in Suffolk County, according to the New York State Board of Elections.
There are 18,849 registered voters in Southold Town.
Overall, Democratic voters led the number of ballots cast early with roughly 21,000 turning out. Republicans followed with nearly 17,500, and independents totaled about 10,600, according to officials.
On Southold ballots, voters will elect two Town Board members, a Fishers Island Town Justice who serves as a council member, a county legislator, three Trustees, a town highway superintendent, a town clerk, a town justice and two town assessors.
Six candidates are competing for three seats on the Town Board this year: two at-large Southold council members and one Fishers Island town justice. All positions carry a three-year term through 2028 to match up with the even-year election cycle.
Councilman Brian Mealy, a Democrat, is the only incumbent running for reelection. Councilman Greg Doroski, also a Democrat, is not seeking reelection, and is instead vying for the Suffolk County Legislature 1st District seat currently held by Legislator Catherine Stark of Riverhead.
Mr. Mealy, small business owner Alexa Suess, and Fishers Island Waste Management District commission chair Kate Stevens round out the Democratic ticket for Town Board. Former town councilman Chris Talbot, Zoning Board vice chairman Nicholas Planamento and Fishers Island fire commissioner Stephanie Hall fill out the Republican ticket.
For Trustees, six candidates have their hats in the ring. Democratic incumbents Liz Gillooly and Eric Sepenoski are seeking reelection, while fellow Dem Elizabeth Peeples is not running for another term, leaving her seat open.
On the Democratic line, Shelter Island town engineer Joe Finora joins Ms. Gillooly and Mr. Sepenoski in seeking the three available positions. The Republican ticket features Trustee hopefuls Terri Boyle Romanelli, Nathan Andruski and Pindar Damianos. The elected Trustees would serve a three-year term through 2028 to match up with the even-year election cycle.
Democrat incumbent Highway Superintendent Dan Goodwin and Republican candidate Greg Schlachter will vie for votes to manage Southold’s highway department though 2028.
For Southold Town clerk, Republican incumbent Denis Noncarrow is battling Democrat Abigail Field to serve the three-year term through 2028.
Southold Town tax assessor incumbent Charles Sanders and newcomer Ken Poliwoda are running on the GOP line. Dana Forlenza and Leah Tillman Sullivan are the Democratic candidates. The elected assessors will serve through 2028.
Town Justice Eileen Powers is running unopposed for reelection eight years serving on the bench.
The County Legislator 1st District race between Democrat Southold Town Councilman Greg Doroski and Republican incumbent Catherine Stark could be affected by the results of the Proposition 2 question on East End voters’ ballots. If the proposition passes, the elected legislator would serve a three-year term through 2028. Currently, county legislators serve two-year terms.
There are 18 Suffolk County Legislature seats up for election this year, with 12 Republicans and six Democrats sitting on the Legislature.
For continued coverage of the 2025 election stay tuned at suffolktimes.com.