Suffolk Voters Face a Crowded Ballot and New Touchscreen Machines Tuesday

Suffolk County voters go to the polls Tuesday with the governor's office, three seats in Congress, the state Legislature and a long list of county, town and judicial posts on the ballot. Voters can cast ballots between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

It is also the first November election in which the county will use its new ExpressVote XL machines. The Board of Elections began rolling out the equipment this year, and voters who skipped the June primary will be seeing it for the first time. Questions about polling locations or sample ballots can be directed to the county elections office, 631-852-4500.

Early voting ran from Oct. 24 through Sunday at 28 sites around the county. Statewide, the State Board of Elections counted 1,965,043 early voters in an unofficial tally, compared with 1,178,676 four years ago. New York City accounted for 690,526 of this year's early ballots.

Heading the ballot, Gov. Kathy Hochul and her running mate, Adrienne Adams, are on the Democratic and Working Families lines. Their Republican opponents, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Todd Hood, also hold the Conservative and Vote Affordable lines. Attorney General Letitia James faces Republican Saritha Komatireddy, and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is opposed by Republican Joseph Hernandez.

Three House districts reach into the county. In the 1st District, Republican Nick LaLota, who also has the Conservative line, is challenged by Democrat Christopher Gallant. In the 2nd, Republican Andrew Garbarino faces Democrat Patrick Halpin, who is running on the Democratic and Working Families lines. In the 3rd, Democrat Tom Suozzi is up against Republican Michael LiPetri Jr.

Five state Senate seats with Suffolk voters are contested. Republicans Anthony Palumbo, Mario Mattera and Dean Murray face Democrats E. Christopher Murray, Harjot Singh and Antonio Vargas-Ayala in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts. In the 4th, Democrat Monica Martinez is opposed by Republican Brianne Wakefield. The 8th District matches Democrat Joshua James Taveras against Republican Jarett Gandolfo.

All 12 Assembly districts on the county list have a race. Among them, Republican Jodi Giglio in the 2nd faces Democrat Michael Szika and Kimberly Wilder of the Voter Options line, while Democrat Steve Stern and Republican Tiffany LeGrow meet in the 10th. In the 4th, Democrat Rebecca Kassay is opposed by Republican Will Sussman. The 3rd pits Democrat Josh Slaughter against Republican Joseph DeStefano, the 6th has Democrat Philip Ramos facing Republican Dennis Barravecchio, and the 12th matches Democrat Craig Herskowitz with Republican David Weber Jr.

Two countywide offices are on the ballot. Democrat Jon Estreich is challenging Republican Daniel Losquadro for county comptroller. Vincent Puleo, the Republican and Conservative nominee for county clerk, is the only name printed for that office.

Several town offices are also up. In Riverhead, Democrat Jerome Halpin, also on the Taxpayers First line, faces Republican Kenneth Rothwell for supervisor. Southampton voters choose between Democrat Maria Moore and Republican Richard Carozza for supervisor and fill five town trustee seats from six candidates. Smithtown has a race for receiver of taxes between Democrat Brianna Baker-Stines and Republican Kimberly Carros. East Hampton Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and Shelter Island's Amber Brach-Williams are unopposed. Stephen Lynch, East Hampton's candidate for highway superintendent, appears on both the Democratic and Republican lines.

Judges make up a large part of the ballot. Fourteen candidates are running for eight state Supreme Court seats in the 10th Judicial District, several of them backed by both major parties. The four County Court seats and three Family Court seats each drew exactly as many candidates as openings, all on the Republican and Conservative lines. District Court seats in Huntington, Islip and Brookhaven are also on the ballot.

Which of these races appear on a given ballot depends on where the voter lives. Voters can check their assigned polling place and preview their ballot through the county Board of Elections before Tuesday.