Turnout was light last weekend at Windmill Village on Accabonac Road in East Hampton, the site of early voting ahead of Tuesday's Democratic Party primary election.
Councilman Jeff Bragman, who is in the final year of his first term on the town board, is challenging Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc, who is seeking a third term. Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, who is also seeking a third term; Cate Rogers, chairwoman of the East Hampton Democratic Committee and a former zoning board of appeals member, and John Whelan, chairman of the zoning board, are vying for two seats on the board.
The supervisor's term is two years, and the term for a councilman or councilwoman is four years.
Rick Drew, a three-term town trustee who was not endorsed by the Democratic Committee this time around, is also seeking the Democratic Party line on the Nov. 2 general election ballot. The committee instead chose David Cataletto, a teacher at East Hampton Middle School, as a candidate. Mr. Cataletto and Mr. Drew are on the primary ballot along with the other eight incumbents: Francis Bock, Jim Grimes, Bill Taylor, John Aldred, Susan McGraw Keber, Ben Dollinger, Tim Garneau, and Mike Martinsen. Democratic voters can choose nine from the 10 candidates.
A trustee's term is now two years, but that may increase to four years starting with the 2023 election, pending legislation that has passed in the New York State Assembly and Senate. That effort is covered elsewhere in this issue.
Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday's primary election, most if not all of the candidates will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot. Mr. Bragman, Mr. Whelan, and Mr. Drew will appear on the Independence Party line. Mr. Van Scoyoc, Ms. Burke-Gonzalez, and Ms. Rogers will appear on the Working Families Party line, as will Mr. Cataletto, Ms. McGraw Keber, Mr. Garneau, and Mr. Taylor.
Early voting at Windmill Village began on Saturday. It continues today from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., tomorrow from noon to 8 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Regular polling stations will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Only registered Democrats may vote in the primary election.
