Election 2023

This month will see candidates debates for East Hampton Town and Southampton Town supervisor and board, and for the Suffolk County Legislature’s Second District, hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island, and the North Fork.

Democratic candidates for East Hampton Town supervisor and town board accentuated leadership and experience, while their Republican counterparts pointed to what they called mismanagement and slow progress on a range of issues, during a forum hosted by Montauk United at that hamlet’s firehouse on Sunday.

The citizens group Montauk United is sponsoring the first campaign event in East Hampton Town’s 2023 election season, a candidates forum on Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Montauk Firehouse. 

The League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island, and the North Fork has scheduled four debates among candidates for East Hampton, Southampton, and Shelter Island Town supervisor and town board, and for the Suffolk County Legislature’s Second District.

The New York League of Conservation Voters has endorsed Ann Welker for Suffolk County Legislature in the Second District.

The New York League of Conservation Voters has endorsed East Hampton Town Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez in her bid for supervisor, as well as Westhampton Beach Mayor Maria Moore, who is running for supervisor of Southampton Town. Both are Democrats.

Tom Flight, a Democratic Party candidate for the East Hampton Town Board, is on the road to recovery after spending four days at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital following a seizure on July 4. 

“People are asking me, ‘Do you really want to do it?’ and ‘Are you prepared to be supervisor?’ ” the Democrats' supervisor candidate, Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, said. “And I just want everyone to know here and now, yes and yes. I am ready, and I’m excited. That is partly because, look at the tremendous team I get to work with. . . .”

The East Hampton Town Democratic Committee has rescheduled its campaign kickoff party for Friday night from 6 to 8 at the Clubhouse in Wainscott.

Manny Vilar, the Republican Party candidate for Suffolk County legislator in the Second District, will hold his campaign launch event Thurssday night from 6 to 8 at the American Legion Hall in Hampton Bays. On Wednesday, the town’s Republican Committee will hold a fund-raiser from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Clubhouse in Wainscott.

The Suffolk County Republican Committee has nominated Manny Vilar of Springs, a retired state parks police officer who is the chairman of the East Hampton Town Republican Committee, to run for the Second Legislative District seat.

Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming announced Thursday that she will not seek re-election to the Second Legislative District this year, and that she is endorsing Ann Welker of the Southampton Town Trustees to succeed her in office on the Democratic ticket.