The League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island, and the North Fork will sponsor candidates debates for New York's First Congressional District and State Senate District next week.
In the Congressional race, Representative Lee Zeldin and his challenger, Nancy Goroff, will debate on Monday at 7 p.m. Mr. Zeldin, a Republican and one of President Trump's most steadfast supporters, is seeking a fourth term. Ms. Goroff, the Democratic Party's nominee, is on leave from her position as chairwoman of Stony Brook University's chemistry department.
Laura Ahearn, an attorney and executive director of the Crime Victims Center, and Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo, the candidates for State Senate District 1, will debate on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Ms. Ahearn, the Democratic Party's candidate, and Ms. Palumbo, a Republican currently representing the Second Assembly District, are vying to succeed longtime State Senator Kenneth B. LaValle, who is retiring.
At both debates, the candidates will make timed opening and closing statements. They will answer questions submitted in advance by the public, the league, and the press, and posed by the debate moderator.
Both debates, which will be held via video conference, can be seen live at the YouTube channel of SEA-TV, Southampton Town's public access channel, at bit.ly/354Ina3. After the simulcast, they will be available for streaming on demand. Monday's debate will also be made available to the public-access channels serving the Towns of East Hampton, Shelter Island, Southold, and Riverhead.
Members of the public can submit questions until Saturday to Barbara McClancy, the league's voter services committee chairwoman, at [email protected].
Early voting starts on Oct. 24 and concludes on Nov. 1. In East Hampton, early voting will take place in the community room of Windmill Village, at 219 Accabonac Road, and in Southampton, early ballots can be cast at the Stony Brook Southampton University campus gym at 70 Tuckahoe Road. Voters registered in Suffolk County can cast early ballots at any early voting site in the county.
Registered voters planning to vote by absentee ballot can complete an application for a ballot at elections.ny.gov. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, voters can check "temporary illness" as the reason for the request. The applications, to be mailed to the Suffolk County Board of Elections, P.O. Box 700, Yaphank Ave., Yaphank 11980, must be postmarked by Oct. 27. Registered voters can also apply for an absentee ballot online at absenteeballot.elections.ny.gov.
Votes cast by absentee ballot must be postmarked no later than Nov. 3, which is Election Day. Completed, signed, and sealed absentee ballots can be sent by mail or delivered to any early voting or Election Day polling site, or taken to the board of elections during office hours.
