Guide
Suffolk County Prospective Candidate Guide 2026
Welcome! Thanks for considering running for office in Suffolk County in 2026! Below is a guide to all of the open positions this year, with a "plain english" section to help clarify what the role entails. Pay particular attention to those positions with R incumbents! That's where the Democratic Party's recruitment efforts are focused.
Now that we're onto the election, you can meet the candidates running in Suffolk County and learn how to support their campaigns.
If you're interested in a particular role, we encourage you to get to know as much about it as possible. Be sure to check your residency. Most of these offices require you to live in the specific town or district you are running for. Once you have done some research, here is a link where you can express your interest to the Suffolk County Dems.
Thank you!
Statewide Executive Offices
These positions run the entire state of New York. Your spreadsheet lists the current "Big Four" leaders.
| Office | Plain English | Current Incumbent | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | The State's CEO | Kathy Hochul | D | 4 Years |
| Attorney General | The State's Top Lawyer | Letitia A. James | D | 4 Years |
| State Comptroller | The State's Chief Auditor | Thomas P. DiNapoli | D | 4 Years |
Federal Representation
These officials represent Suffolk County in Washington, D.C. and vote on national laws.
| Office | Area | Plain English | Current Incumbent | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st CD | Huntington, Smithtown, Riverhead, Southold (includes the North Fork), Southampton (includes the Hamptons), East Hampton, Shelter Island, Northern Brookhaven | Member of Congress | Nicholas J. LaLota | R | 2 Years |
| 2nd CD | Babylon, Islip, Southern Brookhaven | Member of Congress | Andrew Garbarino | R | 2 Years |
Judicial Offices
These roles are unique; they don't make laws but "referee" legal disputes. Note the very long terms.
| Office | Plain English | Current Incumbent | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court | High-Level Trial Judge | Carl J. Copertino | R | 14 Years |
| Supreme Court | High-Level Trial Judge | John J Andrews | R | 14 Years |
| Supreme Court | High-Level Trial Judge | Leonard D. Steinman | D | 14 Years |
| Supreme Court | High-Level Trial Judge | Steve Hackeling | R | 14 Years |
| Supreme Court | High-Level Trial Judge | William Ford | D | 14 Years |
| Supreme Court | High-Level Trial Judge | Kathy G. Bergmann | I | 14 Years |
| Supreme Court | High-Level Trial Judge | Richard Ambro | D | 14 Years |
| Family Court | Family-related Judge | Frank Tantone | R | 10 Years |
| County Court | Criminal & Major Civil Judge | Anthony Senft, Jr. | C | 10 Years |
| County Court | Criminal & Major Civil Judge | James F. Quinn | I | 10 Years |
| District Court | Local Trial Judge | Patricia M. Blake | R | 6 Years |
| District Court | Local Trial Judge | Jennifer A. Henry | R | 6 Years |
| District Court | Local Trial Judge | Pierce Cohalan | R | 6 Years |
| District Court | Local Trial Judge | Alonzo Jacobs | D | 6 Years |
State Legislature
These representatives go to Albany to pass state-wide laws and manage the state budget.
| District | Area | Current Incumbent | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st AD | State Assembly | Thomas J Schiavoni | D | 2 Years |
| 1st SD | State Senate | Anthony H Palumbo | R | 2 Years |
| 2nd AD | State Senate | Jodi Giglio | R | 2 Years |
| 2nd SD | State Senate | Mario R. Mattera | R | 2 Years |
| 3rd AD | State Assembly | Joseph DeStefano | R | 2 Years |
| 3rd SD | State Senate | Dean Murray | R | 2 Years |
| 4th AD | State Assembly | Rebecca A Kassay | D | 2 Years |
| 4th SD | State Senate | Monica Martinez | D | 2 Years |
| 5th AD | State Assembly | Douglas Smith | R | 2 Years |
| 6th AD | State Assembly | Philip R. Ramos | D | 2 Years |
| 7th AD | State Assembly | Jarett C. Gandolfo | R | 2 Years |
| 8th AD | State Assembly | Michael J. Fitzpatrick | R | 2 Years |
| 8th SD | State Senate | Alexis Weik | R | 2 Years |
| 9th AD | State Assembly | Michael A Durso | R | 2 Years |
| 10th AD | State Assembly | Steve Stern | D | 2 Years |
| 11th AD | State Assembly | Kwani B O'Pharrow | D | 2 Years |
| 12th AD | State Assembly | Keith Brown | R | 2 Years |
County & Town Specifics
These are the most "hands-on" local roles, managing everything from land records to snow removal.
| Town | Office | In Plain English | Incumbent | Party | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County-Wide | Clerk | Record Keeper/Passports | Vincent A. Puleo | C | 4 Years |
| County-Wide | Comptroller | County "Watchdog" Auditor | John Kennedy | R | 4 Years |
| Riverhead | Town Supervisor | The "CEO" of Town | Jerome Halpin | D | 2 Years |
| Shelter Island | Town Supervisor | The "CEO" of Town | Amber F Brach-Williams | R | 2 Years |
| Shelter Island | Supt. of Highways | Oversees Town Roads | Kenneth L Lewis Jr | R | 2 Years |
| Shelter Island | Town Justice | Local Judge | Mary-Faith Westervelt | B | 4 Years |
| East Hampton | Town Supervisor | The "CEO" of Town | Kathleen Burke-Gonzalez | D | 2 Years |
| East Hampton | Supt. of Highways | Oversees Town Roads | Stephen K. Lynch | 2 Years | |
| Southampton | Town Supervisor | The "CEO" of Town | Maria Z Moore | D | 2 Years |
| Southampton | Trustees | Oversee the waterways | Matthew L Parsons | D | 2 Years |
| Southampton | Trustees | Oversee the waterways | Hannah Pell-O'Farrell | D | 2 Years |
| Southampton | Trustees | Oversee the waterways | Sara Topping | D | 2 Years |
| Southampton | Trustees | Oversee the waterways | Joseph R McLoughlin | D | 2 Years |
| Southampton | Trustees | Oversee the waterways | Jimmy Mack | D | 2 Years |