Timothy Sini won the race to become the next Suffolk County District Attorney on Tuesday, but the county sheriff’s race appears to be too close to call and heading for a recount.
Sini, the Democratic nominee and current police commissioner, beat Republican rival Ray Perini 62-36 percent with the majority of results in, according to unofficial early returns tallied by the county board of elections. Libertarian candidate Christopher Garvey got one percent of the vote. Sini replaces outgoing Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota, who recently pleaded not guilty to federal charges of helping the former police chief cover up the beating of a suspect.
In the race for Suffolk Sheriff, Democratic nominee Errol Toulon has a 1,354-vote lead over Republican candidate Lawrence Zacarese, who has not conceded, according to the unofficial returns. Libertarian candidate Peter Krauss earned one percent of the vote in that race. The winner, once the results are certified, will replace outgoing Suffolk Sheriff Vincent DeMarco, who opted against running for re-election after he had his Conservative Party leader convicted of payroll theft, triggering a backlash.
In the Suffolk legislative races, the incumbents were all re-elected and Democrats retained their majority, but they lost their super majority when the Republican minority picked up one seat out of four that were left open by retiring legislators.
Republican Rudolph Sunderman beat Democrat Josh Slaughter 52-to-47 percent in the race to replace term-limited Legis. Kate Browning (WF-Shirley).
Republican Steve Flotteron beat Joseph McDermott 55-44 percent to win the seat held by term-limited Legis. Tom Barraga (R-West Islip).
Democrat Susan Berland beat Republican Hector Gavilla 54-45 percent to replace term-limited Legis. Steve Stern (D-Huntington).
And Democrat Thomas Donnelly beat Republican Michael Troetti 61-37 percent to replace term-limited Legis. Lou D’Amaro (D-Deer Park).
As for the three questions on ballots statewide, voters rejected the proposal to hold a constitutional convention, approved a referendum allowing judges to strip pensions from lawmakers convicted of felonies and the proposed Adirondack land bank appears to have passed with a slim margin, although results are still trickling in.
