Nassau County Legis. Arnold Drucker files residency complaint against challenger Jennifer Gallub-Pravato

State Attorney General Letitia James' office is reviewing a false residency complaint filed against a Nassau County legislative candidate renting a walk-up apartment in the district she hopes to represent while maintaining a five-bedroom house in another district.

The complaint, filed this week by Legis. Arnold Drucker (D-Plainview) asks the attorney general to investigate whether his Republican challenger, Jennifer Gallub-Pravato, "has violated New York Election Law, the Nassau County Charter, or any other statutes regarding fraudulent residency claims," according to a letter sent this week. It also asks the office to "refer any findings to the Nassau County Board of Elections and the appropriate enforcement authorities for immediate action to preserve the integrity of the electoral process."

Drucker, a lifelong resident of Plainview, has represented the communities of Nassau County's 16th Legislative District since 2016. Gallub-Pravato, the wife of Town of Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato, is a first-time candidate nominated in March with GOP hopes she could flip the longtime Democratic district. The district changed slightly this year after a new legislative map was put in place but primarily covers the eastern section of the county: parts of Farmingdale, Old Bethpage, Plainview and Jericho.

As first reported in Newsday last week, the Pravatos signed a lease to pay $1,500 per month in rent for an apartment above a barber shop and Mexican restaurant on Main Street in Farmingdale that is listed on the county's tax roll as "support space" in a commercial building. But the Village of Farmingdale's building supervisor in a letter called the space an "apartment" saying the structure predates the village's modern zoning rules.

The complaint also cites a report by The Massapequa Post that said "the couple recently sold their Massapequa Park home and downsized to a smaller residence in Farmingdale Village" shortly after Gallub-Pravato became Nassau's GOP pick to challenge Drucker. 

A Newsday property search in early September showed no recorded transactions on the house since the Pravatos purchased it in 2002. Another search also showed Jeff Pravato was still registered to vote at the Massapequa home.

Gallub-Pravato, through a campaign spokesperson on Thursday, called her residency "a non-issue." She said she lives in Farmingdale and is registered to vote there. 

"Arnie Drucker is embarrassing himself in calling for a residency inquiry on a non-issue when he is the poster child for unethical behavior when it comes to his residence," her statement said. 

 The statement repeated allegations that Drucker "carved out a tax loophole for himself" when he moved into a new Plainview development benefi ti ng from state law he support that phased in taxes for new construction. 

Candidates in Nassau County are required to live in the district they seek to represent at the time of their nomination, according to the county charter. Drucker's complaint says Gallub-Pravato's "true fixed and principal home remains outside the 16th District," citing a definition of residency in state election law that considers where a candidate spends a majority of time, pays taxes, has vehicle registration and the residence of a spouse. 

"These facts raise the possibility of fraudulent misrepresentation to election authorities and the public. Such conduct undermines the integrity of Nassau County elections and calls into question Ms. Gallub-Pravato’s qualifications to both run for and hold the office she seeks," Drucker, an attorney, wrote in his complaint.

John Ciampoli, former county attorney under Republican Ed Mangano who previously served as counsel to the state board of elections, said the Drucker campaign would have to prove Gallub-Pravato's Farmingdale apartment is "a sham" and let a judge decide on whether she can stay on the ballot.

"If you have more than one residence you get to choose which one you use to register to vote," Ciampoli said. "It's not a question of what residence is more appropriate. It's not a question of which residence you spend more time at. It's a question of which residence you choose to register to vote from." 

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.