28 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2017 28 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 2017 28 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • SEPTEMBER 201TUTU111
GOP attorneys had a court throw
out enough signatures on Krauss’
petitions to have him bumped off
the Republican primary ballot.
Krauss said he plans to appeal, but
the resolution of that case was yet
to be determined as we went to
press. Zacarese and Boyle remain
locked in a GOP primary.
Regardless of whether Krauss
makes it a three-way primary,
Krauss and Zacarese are expected
be on the ballot in the general election.
That’s because Krauss is running
as a Libertarian and Zacarese
also has the Reform Party line.
The Sheriff’s seat hadn’t been voluntarily
vacated since ’02, when
then-Suffolk Sheriff Patrick Mahoney,
a Republican-turned-Democrat,
pleaded guilty to corruption charges.
Blowin’ in the wind
The four high-level elected office
vacancies aren’t the only seats
on LI that will be on September
primary ballots. There are dozens
of other local primaries for voters
to decide, too.
In other primaries, Maragos ally
Carl DeHaney is challenging Democratic
nominee Dean Bennett in
the race to face three-term Republican
Nassau County Clerk Maureen
O’Connell on Election Day. The
rest of the primaries on ballots are
scattered across various county legislative
races, Glen Cove and Long
Beach city council contests and
judgeships. Many of the primaries
are on minor party lines, such as
the Reform and Green parties.
“As Nassau County Clerk, I will
cultivate a record of transparency,
accountability, and accessibility,
promote superior service delivery,
introduce 21st century technology
to record-keeping and advocate
for lower fees,” Bennett said, citing
a recent Press report card that
gave the clerk’s office a D+ for its
responsiveness to public records
requests.
Regardless of whether he fends off
DeHaney’s challenge in the Democratic
primary, Bennett will be on
the general election ballot on the
Working Families and Women’s
Equality party lines.
“One of the biggest reasons that
I decided to run, particularly for
this office, because if you ask the
average Nassau County resident,
‘what does the clerk’s office do?’ No
one really knows,” DeHaney said,
noting that he also would lobby the
county legislature to lower fees for
filing paperwork with the office.
If either Bennett or DeHaney
unseats O’Connell, it would be the
first time an African American is
elected Nassau clerk.
The race to replace outgoing Nassau
Legis. Dennis Dunne (R-Levittown),
who left his seat representing
the 15th legislative district after
being appointed to fill a vacancy
on the Hempstead town board,
features a Reform Party primary
between Democratic candidate
Michael Sheridan and Republican
candidate John Ferretti. NYPD
Det. James Coll is appealing a court
ruling nixing his planned GOP
primary against Ferretti.
And in the 16th district, freshman
Nassau Legis. Arnold Drucker
(D-Plainview) is facing a Democratic
primary from Lewis Yevoli
of Old Bethpage, the former Oyster
Bay town supervisor. The Republican
in that race is Angel Cepeda.
On the other side of the county
line, there are also a handful of
legislative primaries. Stephen
Ruth, the Libertarian candidate
and self-described “Red Light
Robinhood,” is appealing a court
ruling bumping him out of a GOP
primary challenging Suffolk Legis.
Thomas Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma),
who also has the Conservative
and Independence party lines in
the 4th legislative district. The
Democratic challenger in that race
is Dominador Pascual.
Lining up to challenge Legis. Sarah
Anker (D-Mount Sinai) in the 6th
district are Frank Vetro, a school
principal and Republican challenger
to GOP nominee Gary Pollakusky,
a marketing consultant also
running on the Conservative and
Reform party lines.
Challenging Legis. Monica Martinez
(D-Brentwood), who also has
the Independence and Women’s
Equality party lines, is Angela Ramos,
wife of Assemb. Phil Ramos
(D-Brentwood). The Republican
general election opponent in that
race is Douglas King.
Michael McElwee, a restaurateur,
is challenging Republican nominee
Steven Flotteron, the Islip
town councilman vying to replace
term-limited Legis. Tom Barraga
(R-West Islip), who’s McElwee’s
father-in-law. The Democrat in that
contest is Joseph McDermott.
The primaries are scheduled for
Tuesday, Sept. 12. Polls are open
6 a.m. to 9 p.m. To find your local
polling place, contact the Nassau or
Suffolk board of elections.
Suffolk County Legislator Sarah
Anker faces challenges from two
Republicans – a school principal
and a marketing consultant. (Suffolk
Democrats)
In the race for Suffolk Sheriff, Sen. Phil Boyle faces a primary challenge from Republicans Peter Krauss, a
former New York City police sergeant, and Lawrence Zacarese, the Stony Brook University police deputy
chief. Former. (NY Senate)