Long Island election 2026: Democrats edge out GOP candidates in key races across Long Island and state.

Mamdani: Left should put their 'foot on the gas'

Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the political left should go "foot on the gas" to enact its policies following Democrats' resounding victories last night across the United States.

"Foot on the gas! This is the moment where we are seeing people across this country vote for a politics that will mean something," Mamdani said at a news conference in the City Hall backyard convened to react to the election: "We want politics to mean the deliverance of dignity into working people's lives."

Mamdani said that the election results — clinched governorships, control of Congress — disproved claims that his left-leaning policy preferences are not possible outside New York City limits.

"What last night showed us is that Americans are tired of being told that their needs are unrealistic by politicians who have been bought by the wealthiest people in the country," Mamdani said.

This country has elected a new generation of leadership — a generation with a mandate to lower the cost of living, to build not bomb, to never betray the working people who entrusted them with power.

— Mayor Zohran Mamdani

Mamdani was cheered by spectators watching from the gates behind City Hall.

Mamdani gave examples of what he wants to see, as victorious candidates campaigned elsewhere in the country: universal childcare, making it easier to build housing faster, a moratorium on data centers and making goods more affordable.

'Going to be a learning curve'

Betty Manzella and Gail Lolis, from the Suffolk County Board of Elections, said voter turnout was as expected for a midterm election year.

"Early voting was higher this year but that's because people finally started to get used to the idea that it's OK to vote early," Manzella, a deputy commissioner on the Republican side, said in an interview.

Some voters were unfamiliar with the new touch-screen machines, officials said.

"The only difference from last year was questions from voters, which I think just had to do with inexperience with the machines," said Lolis, a deputy commissioner for the Democrats. "There's going to be a learning curve."

"Or just silly things like looking for propositions when there were no propositions on the ballot this year," Manzella said.

Both said they only received positive feedback on the new machines.

There were a few technical issues. To upload the votes, the machines have to be closed down properly, Lolis said, and so if the steps aren't followed correctly it causes a delay.

Uploading went "a little slower than we had hoped," Manzella said.

They also dealt with twice as many machines as last year, they said, a move designed to ensure there weren't long lines at polling places.

Each machine has two memory sticks inside. One stick is brought in to be uploaded; the other is kept in the machine, which is then locked and sealed. The machines will start to come in this week and should all be back by Friday, they said. Those stick results will then be compared to the original uploaded sticks.

Then the affidavits, absentee, military and overseas ballots are counted, they said. An audit is then done of 3% of random early voting machines and Election Day machines and there is a manual count comparing the paper ballots to the machines. If there are any issues, the audit is expanded to 6% of the machines, they said. Only then are voting results certified, they said. Races that are too close to call — 0.05% or 20 votes, whichever is less — trigger a manual recount, they said.

Dow, Nasdaq and S&P up following elections

Stock markets surged Wednesday following the widespread electoral victories by Democrats, who flipped several seats to take the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate majority.

The Dow Jones Index was up more than 1,400 points, or nearly 3%, by midday Wednesday. The Nasdaq was also up 2%, or 500 points, and the S&P showed similar gains of 1.8%.

While investors reacted to the future Democratic majority, President Donald Trump also tried to take credit for the market surge.

"Stock market just hit a record high — 91 days in just a short period of time — Less than two years," Trump posted on his Truth Social website just before 12:30 p.m. "Your 401(k)s are through the roof. Record setting all!"

Blue wave slams into a wall in Oyster Bay

While a blue wave washed over the country and swaths of Long Island Tuesday, it slammed against the concrete wall of the Republican stronghold in Oyster Bay.

Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, who has held the role since 2017, resoundingly won his race against Democratic newcomer James Hoyle, earning almost 63% of the vote. The neighboring Town of Hempstead saw a stunning upset for its supervisor seat, where a Democrat won for only the second time in more than a century, but Oyster Bay remained reliably red.

The reason for his continued success?

"I have the experience to understand what the residents want," Saladino said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Saladino's administration has focused its messaging on its success attracting private investment in the ongoing revitalization of downtown Hicksville, its record battling Northrop Grumman over the stalled remediation at Bethpage Community Park and its pending development of the North Shore waterfront.

But Saladino said simpler factors influenced voters.

"People want the quality of the parks, the beaches, they want their garbage picked up and their snow plowed," he said.

The town's services, he said, are what drive voters to approve of the town's Republican party.

"From one end to the other, we've all experienced victories because of residents getting exactly what they've asked for, and then some, from our town government," Saladino said.

Trump concedes Iran War, gas prices likely affected elections

President Donald Trump, in his first post-election appearance, conceded voter opposition to the Iran War and gas prices likely cost Republicans control of Congress.

Trump, asked about Vice President JD Vance's Wednesday morning social media post blaming GOP losses on the unpopular conflict, said he believed "it's largely true."

"It drove the gasoline up a little bit short term, and probably, that's probably, it's true," Trump said. "But at the same time, if I had to do again, I'd have to do it again because long term, it's the only answer."

Trump said he would be willing to work with the new Democratic majority.

I'll get along probably with the Democrats unless they want to be destructive, but I have the power of the veto.

— President Donald Trump

Trump spoke to reporters briefly after an event touting progress on the new White House ballroom.

"We ordered the marble for the floor — the marble is a really magnificent marble," Trump said at a ceremony with construction workers and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

Trump, at the top of his remarks, did not address Tuesday's blue wave that saw Democrats gain control of both chambers of Congress, and several state houses. The president did not touch on the economic anxieties voters expressed in exit polls.

He focused his remarks on what is set to be a 90,000-square-foot ballroom — twice the size of the White House residence.

"I get criticized, like, 'Why are you working on the White House?' " Trump said. "I'm doing it because the White House is the ultimate symbol of America, and it's got to be pristine. It's got to be perfect."

Trump signed a white beam that he said was the last beam needed to be raised in place for construction to move forward.

An ex-Yankee wins a House seat, plus more sports-related election results

How some sports candidates did in the midterms:

• Former Yankee Mark Teixeira, a Republican, won the 21st Congressional District in Texas, defeating Democrat Kristin Hook. Read more about Teixeira’s journey into politics here.
• Former Jets kicker Jay Feely is projected to lose his congressional bid in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District to Democrat Amish Shah, who was the Jets’ team doctor.
• Former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya, who worked for ABC, NBC, CBS and ESPN, lost her Senate bid in Minnesota to Democrat Peggy Flanagan.
• Tommy Tuberville, a former college football coach, beat Democrat Doug Jones in Alabama’s gubernatorial race.

How Jimmy Kimmel, CNN, Fox and more covered last night

A historic night meant historical TV coverage of Tuesday's election. And there was a lot of coverage — more than any single person could consume, more than any would want to, and more than ever before, in fact.

See Newsday reporter Verne Gay's takeaways from Election Day media coverage.

Suozzi to Dems: Focus on core issues, not divisiveness

Fresh from a decisive reelection victory Tuesday, Rep. Tom Suozzi called on his Democratic colleagues to seize the moment by focusing on core pocketbook issues and avoiding a divisive impeachment fight against President Donald Trump.

During a news conference Wednesday in the heart of Glen Cove, Suozzi, a centrist, called on Democrats, who won control of the House of Representatives, to work with Republicans and Trump to address affordability, immigration, tariffs, crime and education.

"It's not going to be worthwhile for us to just win a race and then to just go into attack mode again," Suozzi said. "That's not what the people want. They've rejected that. They've clearly said that as part of this election. So I think it would be foolhardy for Democrats to rush headlong into an impeachment process. I think that would be a tragic mistake."

Suozzi, who defeated Republican Mike LiPetri, said while Democrats must conduct oversight of the administration, roughly 75% of the time should be spent on affordability and solving issues that affect everyday Americans.

And Suozzi acknowledged that he will need to work with the more liberal wing of his own party.

"I've got very strong differences of opinion with some of the people in my own party. I've got strong differences of opinion with a lot of Republicans," he said. "But regardless of my differences that I have with people, my job and everybody else's job who is in elected office, is to serve the people. It is to figure out how we find common ground to actually solve the problems that we face."

Suozzi, a former Glen Cove mayor and Nassau County executive, also offered his perspective on Democratic victories across Long Island and what it foretells for the nation.

"Long Island is a real bellwether," Suozzi said. "It's always been a swing area in the country. ... And we have to take what happened here as a reflection of what's going with the country."

Vance blames war in Iran for midterm losses

In a lengthy online post, the vice president seemingly sought to distance himself from election results seen as a referendum on Trump that featured big Republican losses across the country.

"The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote, adding, "If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest."

One of the things the data analysts on our side obsessed over was "composition"—whether the electorate looked close enough to 2024 for Republicans to win. And despite polls that showed a Democrat blowout, the data kept on telling us the same story: in some states turnout was merely OK, in other states it was downright amazing, and in no state was it catastrophic. There was a genuine sense of optimism on our team: our people were showing up. So, I asked the smartest data guy I know, does that mean we're going to shock the world? "No," he told me. "We might do better than the polls suggest. But the data is telling us that a lot of Trump/Vance 2024 voters are pissed and planning to vote for the other guys. Our voters are turning out, but they may not vote for us." Well, that looks prophetic now. Our voters did show up. In Florida, for example, the electorate was 9 points more Republican than Democrat, just a couple points worse than 2024. Undoubtedly there were places we could have done better on turnout. But the main problem is not turnout. The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026. There will be a lot of infighting and arguing over what happened and why that is. One of the pollsters I really respect told me that our economic messaging wasn’t sharp enough down the stretch. I’m sure that’s true. But the real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone. Another pollster—one of the smartest people I know in politics, told me yesterday we’d lose the generic ballot by 13 points. I felt negative going into Tuesday, but even I was shocked by this. In his polling, he saw that a lot of Trump 2024 voters were angry and planning to vote for Democrats. He asked those voters who had abandoned us what would cause them to come back on our team. The top four answers, accounting for nearly all of the responses were: 1) End the war 2) Focus on cost of living/inflation 3) Put America First 4) Change our relationship to Israel Our voters showed up. And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats. This is according to a pollster who nailed the results. While many spent Monday attacking Rachel Campos Duffy for calling for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, it turns out her political advice was sound. (She’s also a great person.) In the next few months, there's going to be a lot of gaslighting. Expect to hear any number of establishment politicians say the solution to our woes is amnesty. I'm open to the idea that we should change enforcement—by focusing more on businesses that hire illegal labor, for instance. But anyone pushing amnesty is lying to you. The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night. If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest. But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there. I remain hopeful about our country. To the people who are pissed off and want to say, “I told you so”: you’re right, you did tell us so. Take that energy into electing Republicans who share your worldview. To the people who are just pissed at the results, you should be. Let’s take that anger and get back to the work of saving our country.

— JD Vance (@JDVance) November 4, 2026

AP: Mike Johnson won't seek re-election as House GOP leader

Speaker Mike Johnson will not seek reelection as House Republican leader, according to The Associated Press.

The AP, citing an unnamed source, said the news comes after Democrats' big wins Tuesday night.

Democrats gained at least 25 seats in the House, with the number of decided races at 228 for Democrats and 139 for Republicans. Another 68 seats were still to be called.

'Unenthused' GOP base, voter discontent over national policies cited in Dem wins

Michael Kaplan, a Washington D.C.-based Republican political consultant and Nassau County native, said the GOP had hoped angst over New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the specter of socialism would penetrate throughout the suburbs.

But unofficial results show Gov. Kathy Hochul had narrow leads in Nassau and Suffolk over her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman, Nassau's County executive. 

Hochul got 50.21% of the vote in Nassau, compared to Blakeman, who received 49.68% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the county board of elections.

In Suffolk, it was 50.31% for Hochul and 49.56% for Blakeman, that county’s unofficial results show.

“That performance harmed Republicans up and down the ballot, a situation that Nassau Republicans haven't experienced since 1974,” Kaplan said. And elsewhere in the state, Kaplan said, “Democrats romped and will likely enter the new year with the largest margin in the state legislature in more than a century.”

This wasn't necessarily an endorsement of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul or of Democratic policies but rather, Kaplan said, “This was an unenthused Republican base refusing to vote and Democrats capitalizing on voter discontentment over national policies.”

'A shift of historic proportions'

The number of decided races for the 435-member U.S. House now sits at 228 for Democrats and 139 for Republicans. That is a plus-25 seat gain for Democrats, so far, with 68 seats to be called.

Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), who as party whip and top vote-counter is the No. 2 House Democrat, said in a statement Wednesday that voters have entrusted her party "with writing a new chapter in our country’s story."

Donald Nieman, a history and politics expert at Binghamton University, offered some perspective to Newsday when it comes to previous chapters.

Nieman said the House-seat gains, all told, will probably not be as great as the 2010, 1994 or post-Watergate scandal elections of 1974. But factoring in the hyperpolarization of modern-day politics, and the mid-cycle GOP gerrymandering, he said, "It will be a shift of historic proportions."

The historic shift also shows in the Senate results, Nieman said. Democrats have gained at least seven Senate seats so far, and Nieman noted that they picked up eight in 1930 — at a time when the country reeled from the Great Depression.

"I can think of only two presidents who were as badly humiliated in the midterms as Trump was last night — Herbert Hoover in 1930 and Andrew Johnson in 1866," Nieman said.

Westchester County Board of Elections will count ballots today after voting glitch

The Westchester County Board of Elections plans to begin counting ballots at 11 a.m. today, after a programming glitch prevented some paper ballots from being accepted Tuesday.

The Associated Press reported the glitch was due to a software update conducted for one municipal contest after the machines had been prepared and tested. "Machines in the other municipalities continued to use the original software and therefore would not recognize the ballots," the AP reported.

A judge allowed elections officials to move thousands of paper ballots to a secure warehouse, according to the AP.

"Following the closing of the polls at 9:00 p.m. this evening, ballots were secured and are being transported under police supervision from polling locations to the Westchester County Board of Elections facility in Ardsley," the board of elections said in a statement on its website. "Upon arrival, the ballots will remain under continuous police protection until counting begins."

The statement continued, "All procedures, under the direction and oversight of the Board of Elections Commissioners, will be carried out in an orderly, transparent, and efficient manner, consistent with the security requirements established and the standards of election administration that Westchester County voters expect and deserve. We remain committed to protecting the integrity of the election and ensuring that every lawful vote is counted.”

How LI voted in the governor's race

Gov. Kathy Hochul appears to have won Long Island in 2026, a reversal from her performance on the Island in the governor’s race four years ago against another Long Islander.

This year, in Nassau, Hochul got 50.21% of the vote, compared to her challenger, Bruce Blakeman, the county's executive, who received 49.68% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the county board of elections.

In Suffolk, it was 50.31% for Hochul and 49.56 for Blakeman, that county’s unofficial results show.

Statewide, Hochul defeated Blakeman by a margin of 59.2% to 39.58%, with 92.1% of precincts reporting.

On the campaign trail, Hochul correctly predicted that she’d do better on Long Island this year compared to 2022, when she won the state but lost to another Long Islander, Lee Zeldin, among Island voters.

Speaking in Brooklyn on Friday morning at a campaign stop, Hochul said she thought she’d get a bigger share of the vote in Suffolk than she had in 2022. "I think a lot of you are going to be surprised when you see the numbers on Long Island," she said.

And on Tuesday morning, speaking in a Queens playground, she obliquely said that there were “interesting” developments afoot at the polls.

Gallant won't concede, other LI races still close

The morning after Democrats’ blue rout, there were still races that were not fully over on Long Island.

While the incumbent congressman in New York's 1st District, Nick LaLota, has declared victory, challenger Chris Gallant hasn't conceded, posting on Instagram the race is "TOO CLOSE TO CALL."

Newsday's results show LaLota received 51.09% of the vote and Gallant received 48.85%, with 99.8% of precincts reporting.

Results in the 2nd District were also close, with Republican incumbent Andrew Garbarino receiving 49.67% of the vote compared to 47.43% for Democratic challenger Pat Halpin.

In the election for the Hempstead clerkship, Joylette Williams was narrowly ahead of Kate Murray. Unofficial results showed Williams with a lead of less than 1 percentage point.

The race was also close in Nassau County's 9th District, with Juleigh Chin leading incumbent Scott Strauss 50.16% to 49.76%.

Election takeaways

President Donald Trump spent the last month campaigning in mostly Republican-led states, looking to shore-up voter turnout among his base, but the strategy fell short with an electorate reeling from high fuel prices and rising costs.

In New York, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman lost to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who led the polls 60% to 40%, with nearly 90% of election districts tallied. And New York Democrats, riding the national "blue wave," are expected to have supermajorities in the State Senate and Assembly after picking up at least a dozen seats — including at least five seats on Long Island.

Check here for three takeaways from Tuesday's election.

Blakeman called them 'phony polls'

Bruce Blakeman had insisted that poll after poll showing him losing by as much as 14 percentage points were all wrong.

“Those phony polls you’re talking about? Them again?” he interrupted a reporter at this year’s Columbus Day Parade in Manhattan. Polls taken by his supporters or his campaign, he insisted, forecast a far closer race.

“Listen, I’ve seen about 10 different polls that show that we’re within the margin of error. This is neck and neck,” he added. It was a version of the same refrain he delivered anytime he was asked in interviews, at press conferences and in speeches.

Blakeman was right in one respect. The polls predicting the final results of the race were wrong: A Marist University poll showed Hochul winning by 11. Emerson College, by 12. Siena University, by 14, as did a poll by Quinnipiac University.

She wound up winning by over 20 points.

Progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race

WASHINGTON — Progressive favorite Abdul El-Sayed has defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a bitter campaign for Michigan’s open Senate seat, giving the Democratic Party’s left wing a breakthrough victory in one of the nation’s most important swing states.

El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the nation’s first Muslim senator. A former public health official who has never held elected office, he rose from a double-digit defeat in Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary eight years ago to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.

“You took a chance on the unlikeliest of candidates," El-Sayed told a Detroit crowd early Wednesday as he declared victory. “Thank you. This is all yours.”

Democrats retake control of House, seizing power in both chambers

Democrats will now be the party in power in Washington, D.C., taking control of the House, according to a projection by the Associated Press. Earlier, the AP projected that Democrats would retake control of the U.S. Senate. 

Trump, on social media, points fingers at GOP losses

With Democrats flipping control of the Senate and projected to win control of the House of Representatives, President Donald J. Trump reacted in a series of posts on social media, from posting a photo of a single red MAGA hat with the words “VETO,” to blaming Fox News for the losses.

The midterm elections saw Democrats score a string of stunning victories against his party, even in some conservative states like Texas, Kansas and South Carolina.

Trump took to social media to air his grievances, accusing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott of losing the race to Democrat Gina Hinojosa because he said that during the last six months, Abbott turned into a “Rino,” short for Republican in Name Only. 

Trump mused he himself was “going to become a Political Pundit, both good and bad, on the reasons these candidates won and lost!” Trump also vented about Fox News, blaming the network “for these losses by constantly and consistently putting on Dumocrat opposition, and worse.”

Earlier Tuesday evening, as the situation started to look bleak for Republicans, he posted, “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Schaffer, Cairo reflect on the night's results

It was a tale of two Long Island party chairmen early Wednesday morning as Suffolk County Democratic boss Rich Schaffer crowed about unlikely wins while Nassau GOP Chair Joe Cairo acknowledged some major losses.

As the crowd at Suffolk County Democratic Committee's election night party trickled out, Schaffer told Newsday that Democrats did "better than I expected."

"I knew that we were in the ballpark on several races, but I think overall, what we saw nationwide trickled down here," he said.

Schaffer was excited about Democrats winning control of the House and Senate but said it was "unfortunate" that high prices of gas and groceries "pushed everybody to the breaking point. Hopefully, the president is willing to work with the Congress to spend his last two years doing what he said he was going to do these past two years."

Meanwhile, at around 12:15 a.m. Cairo addressed a somber and emptying room at the Lannin in East Meadow, speaking for several minutes.

"We left it all out on the field ... The true test is not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get back up," Cairo said, adding that he expects that Republicans will maintain control of the county legislature.

Cairo called Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who was defeated by Gov. Kathy Hochul, an "athlete," but said the Democrats had earned their victories.

"You give 110%, you give your best," Cairo said. "The other team is better. You just accept it, and you try to do better in the future."

Cairo spoke well after most lawmakers had departed the party. After Blakeman left the stage, no one else publicly spoke for the rest of the night. No names were read. No one publicly declared victory or conceded.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins concedes to Troy Jackson

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins has conceded to Democrat Troy Jackson. The Associated Press has not yet called the race. 

Ferretti concedes Hempstead supervisor race

Republican Town of Hempstead Supervisor John Ferretti has conceded his reelection bid to Democratic challenger Joe Scianablo, a town spokesman said early Wednesday.

"The Supervisor has conceded," the spokesman, Brian Devine, said in a text message. “He’s planning on reaching out to him [Scianablo].”

Ferretti, a former Nassau County legislator, was elected to the supervisor post last year after being appointed earlier in 2025.

Gallant, Halpin not conceding congressional races

The two Democratic challengers in separate congressional races on Long Island will not concede. 

Democratic Chris Gallant has declined to concede in New York’s 1st Congressional District, even as Republican incumbent Nicholas J. LaLota has declared victory.

“At this time, there are still votes to count, and every single one of them deserves to be counted,” Gallant said in a statement after midnight. “It’s obvious now that this election was not what people thought it would be. The closeness of these results show that Long Island is not satisfied with the status quo.”

With nearly every district reporting, LaLota leads Gallant by almost 7,000 votes, according to the State Board of Elections.

Pat Halpin said he is not conceding his race against Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who declared victory.

"This comes down to we the people, not the person who declares victory before all the votes are counted, because this is a very close election," Halpin said.

Suffolk County Democratic Committee Political Director Bryan Sokolowski said votes in Nassau have yet to be counted in Halpin's race. More than 17,000 absentee ballots remain uncounted in Suffolk, he said, which could impact both Halpin and Gallant.

"We feel confident that we have a winning margin within those absentees, and we're not going to rush this. We're going to go through the process," Sokolowski said.

Democrats win veto-proof super majority in Senate

New York Democrats regained a two-thirds supermajority in the State Senate, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) announced late Tuesday.

"This achievement reflects the strength of our diverse coalition, representing communities from our largest cities to our smallest towns, and our shared commitment to moving New York forward," she said in a statement. "We will continue fighting to make New York more affordable, protect our freedoms, and deliver meaningful results for our constituents."

All 213 seats in the New York State Legislature were on the ballot with nine Senate seats and 22 Assembly seats on the Island. Democrats needed to flip one seat in the Senate, where they had a majority with 41 of the 63 seats to regain a "veto proof" two-thirds supermajority across both chambers, meaning they have the ability to override the governor. Democratic officials told Newsday they expect to pick up at least an additional six seats.

Democrats in the Assembly were expected to pick up at least six seats, improving their supermajority to 109-41, Democratic officials told Newsday.

Shocker in Hempstead: Democrat Scianablo declares victory

Democrat Joseph Scianablo has won his race for Town of Hempstead supervisor, the party chairman Jay Jacobs told supporters late Tuesday night, a surprising upset in one of Long Island's top Republican strongholds.

Scianablo was running for the second consecutive year against incumbent John Ferretti.

"We got the job done," an emotional Scianablo told supporters at The Inn at New Hyde Park.

"I'm speechless right now," he said.

Scianablo said that voters decided "enough is enough" and that they were tired of the way things operate in Hempstead.

Ferretti's loss is potentially the most stinging of the night for the Nassau GOP. 

When Laura Gillen, now a congresswoman, was elected town supervisor in 2017, she was the first Democrat to hold the seat in 100 years.

As of midnight, no one at the Nassau GOP gathering had addressed the results.

Residents, Scianablo told Newsday after his speech, are “craving change, craving accountability.”

“I have a career in service,” said Scianablo, who has both been a Marine and a police officer. "Service to the people.”

Republican U.S. Rep Andrew Garbarino declares victory over Patrick Halpin

Republican U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino of Bayport declared victory late Tuesday over Democratic challenger Patrick Halpin in his bid for reelection.

Garbarino told supporters in Patchogue at a GOP election party that the race “was closer than we would have liked.”

“Every time they talk about a blue wave, Suffolk just pushes back,” Garbarino said.

NY GOP chair blames GOP losses on 'national tide'

Even as Democrats swept all three statewide races Tuesday night, New York State Republican Chairman Ed Cox argued that the party fielded one of its best tickets in recent history.

In a statement, a defiant Cox blamed the GOP losses across the state, including in races for the governor’s mansion, state attorney general and comptroller’s offices, to the national political environment. He added that midterm elections are historically difficult for the party holding the presidency.

"Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats have been put on notice,” Cox said. “They were able to hide behind the national tide this cycle, but that will not be the case forever. They will have to answer for their record of New York leading the nation in outmigration as the most taxed, least affordable, least free state in America.”

The GOP chairman said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican candidate who lost to Gov. Kathy Hochul, “ran a flawless, issues-based campaign” while adding that “a political star was born” in the party’s attorney general candidate, Saritha Komatireddy, who was defeated by Democrat incumbent Letitia James.

Meanwhile, Cox said Republican Joseph Hernandez, who lost to Democrat incumbent Tom DiNapoli in the race for state comptroller, “shed light on Albany Democrats' squandering of taxpayer dollars.”

Gillen, Suozzi reelected: 'A big night for Democrats'

Fresh from their reelection bids being declared victorious, Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen reflected on the referendum delivered by voters both locally and nationwide.

Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) said the results of the election “shows that democracy works.”

“People are unhappy with the direction of this administration and that they're not listening to the people,” Suozzi said. “It's a big night for Democrats all over the country.”

He said issues like the war in Iran and President Donald Trump’s tariffs are making affordability a pressing issue for Americans.

“Let’s work together and actually fix the problems we face in our country,” Suozzi said, adding he believes the president “will have to negotiate with Democrats.”

Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) said in a separate interview that she is looking forward to working in Congress in the majority.

“I've been really frustrated,” she said, adding that the results across America are indicative of the country wanting “to get back on the right track.”

Earlier, she said her campaign was able to reach voters on issues like affordability and transparency.

Voters chose “common sense over chaos,” she said.

Read the full story on Gillen's victory from Newsday's Laura Figueroa Hernandez here.

Nick LaLota declares victory over Christopher Gallant in House race

U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) declared victory late Tuesday in his race for reelection, fending off a challenge from Democrat Christopher J. Gallant.

"To every Long Islander they voted for me thank you for your trust," LaLota said to family, friends and party leaders in Patchogue. "For those who didn't vote for me, I am your congressmen too. I will always fight for your family regardless of our political affiliation."

LaLota continued: "And tonight, voters across America have sent the message that all of us in public office need to hear: 'We are frustrated.' They are worried about affordability, their children's future, and whether Washington is truly listening. And they expect more from their elected leaders. We would make a mistake if we didn't listen."

Democrats take U.S. Senate

Democrats are now set to take control of the U.S. Senate, according to a projection from the New York Times, having flipped five seats in several hotly contested races. 

'This is not my last word'

Republican candidate Joseph Hernandez called Comptroller Tom DiNapoli on Tuesday evening to congratulate him on his victory.

Hernandez hinted he would run for office again.

“Our cause hasn't changed: Every dollar Albany spends belongs to the people who earned it,” Hernandez said in a statement. “I came here at 7 on a fishing boat, and I learned that in America, you get back up. This is not my last word."

A poll worker's swan song

Joseph Miller, 63, unloaded ballots from the Longwood Public Library polling site at the Suffolk County Board of Elections headquarters in Yaphank. It was among the night's last drop offs.

This was Miller’s 44th election working for a polling place and, he said, it likely will be his last.

The stress of elections has given him too much anxiety, he said.

"It's probably because I’m getting older and I try to be perfect," he told Newsday.

Miller, of Middle Island, started working at the polls when he was 19 and his dad was running for county sheriff. Back then in the early 1980s, votes were cast with the pull of a lever.

It's been a sea of changes since, he said, including the introduction of touch screen voting this year. He said he was shocked that so many people turned out for early voting — an estimated 11,000 to 12,000 at his site in Mount Sinai.

"I didn't think I'd see anybody today but I think there were about 250 people," he said. "I think people are really fed up and worried about all different issues."

Miller said there's still a chance he might return next election season, but that right now he's not sure he could do it.

"I've made a lot of friends," he said as tears began to fall. "I've enjoyed my time."

Texas Democrat James Talarico wins U.S. Senate seat

Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton for a seat in the U.S. Senate from Texas.

Rep. Mike Lawler concedes

Hudson Valley GOP incumbent Rep Mike Lawler has conceded to Democrat Cait Conley in New York's 17th district.

Lawler said he was "exceptionally proud" of his record and "despite the election results tonight, I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to have served in this capacity."

His concession was heard all the way in Manhattan, where cheers erupted at the Democrats' election night party. 

Both Lawler and Elise Stefanik had interest in running for governor this year. Stefanik chose not to run for re-election when Trump endorsed Blakeman. Now Blakeman has been defeated; Lawler has lost his re-election and Stefanik is out of office.

Democrat Amy Acton defeats Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio governor's race

Democrat Amy Acton defeated former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in the race to be the next governor of Ohio.

In the contest's closing weeks, Ramaswamy aired a controversial ad featuring Acton's estranged mother that prompted bipartisan backlash across the country.

Acton, the state's former COVID-era health director, benefited from a late surge in fundraising after Ramaswamy started running the spot.

Hochul: 'This victory belongs to all of you'

Gov. Kathy Hochul, declaring victory Tuesday night in Manhattan, thanked supporters and volunteers, notably organized labor: "I am so proud to serve alongside you for the next four years."

“This victory belongs to all of you,” said Hochul, as she celebrated being reelected to her second full term.

As the crowd at the Hilton chanted, "four more years to Hochul," the governor responded: "I think we got the four years. Now if we're talking later, that's another conversation."

While votes were still being counted, "we may be on the verge of making history," she said, noting that New Yorkers could be set to lead both chambers in Congress, via Sen. Chuck Schumer as potential serve majority leader and Hakeem Jeffries as potential House Speaker.

Hochul said she will work with President Donald Trump, but stand up to him if his actions harm New Yorkers: “No matter who occupies the White House I know who I answer to and it's the people of New York.”

Hochul said her GOP opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, called her and conceded.

“I will work for the people of Nassau County,” Hochul said. "The people of Nassau deserve no less."

Annie Andrews defeats South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham

Democrat Annie Andrews wins election to U.S. Senate from South Carolina, defeating Darline Graham, the sister of the late Lindsay Graham. 

Vote counting in race between Lawler and Conley delayed until Wednesday

Vote-scanning malfunction expected to delay vote counting in competitive New York congressional district between Rep. Mike Lawler and challenger Cait Conley until Wednesday.

Blakeman concedes to Hochul

Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman conceded to Gov. Kathy Hochul late Tuesday in the race to be the next governor of New York, telling supporters in New Hyde Park: "You win, some you lose some. I would do it all over again.”

Blakeman said he had spoken by phone with Hochul.

“Now we all have to unify and work together and make for a better state of New York," Blakeman said.

White House mood 'defiant,' source says

WASHINGTON — A White House official in an e-mail to Newsday described the mood inside of the East Room on Tuesday night as "defiant."

The official, writing on the condition of anonymity, to speak freely, said Trump not being on the ballot may have impacted voter turnout among his base.

A surprising night, so far

Spotted at the New York Democrats' Election Night party at the midtown Hilton: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) walking out of the press room to take a phone call, exclaiming “What?!”

So far, the Senate map has looked surprisingly good for Democrats, with some of the key races yet to be called.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James wins 3rd term

New York State Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat from Brooklyn, has secured a third term, defeating Republican Saritha Komatireddy, according to the Associated Press.

James, who built a national profile, in part through her battles against President Donald Trump, defeated Komatireddy, of Manhattan, a former federal prosecutor and served as Chief of Staff of the Drug Enforcement Administration during the Biden administration.

"Tonight New Yorkers told us loud and clear they wanted Tish James to finish the job” James told a cheering crowd at the New York Hilton in Manhattan.

Tom DiNapoli declares victory in state comptroller race

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, a four-term Democratic incumbent, has defeated Republican challenger Joseph Hernandez, according to the Associated Press.
For the past 19 years, DiNapoli, 72, of Great Neck, has served in the role. Hernandez is an entrepreneur who has worked in biotechnology and finance.

“I've been through a few races over the years but it makes a difference when it's not a personal victory but the whole team wins as well," DiNapoli said on stage at the election night party in Manhattan. “I’m so thrilled to be part of an incredible team.”

DiNapoli now enters a fifth full term in office. 

"And it is a victory for the hard-working public employees, including our first responders, and our retirees who understand the importance of a secure pension," DiNapoli said in a statement released. "I thank all those who supported me with their votes, their endorsements, and their volunteer efforts, especially my friends in Labor, who powered tonight's great victory. The campaign is over but the work continues. I look forward to serving all the people of New York as your State Comptroller for the next four years."

Keisha Lance Bottoms becomes first Black woman to be elected governor in U.S.

ATLANTA (AP) — Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected governor of Georgia on Tuesday, making history as the first Black woman to be elected governor in the United States, defeating Republican businessman Rick Jackson and flipping the top job in a key swing state.

A former Atlanta mayor, Bottoms won Tuesday despite a staggering campaign spending deficit driven by the billionaire Jackson tapping more than $200 million of his own fortune. She becomes the first Democrat to prevail in a Georgia governor’s race since 1998.

“What we do in this moment will echo through history,” she said ahead of Election Day. Bottoms often sidestepped the barrier-breaking possibilities of her candidacy and instead emphasized her plans to improve an uneven economy and counter President Donald Trump’s administration in Washington.

Loud music, quiet GOP gathering in Patchogue

At the Suffolk GOP party at the Stereo Room in Patchogue, loud music blared: “Danger Zone,” from "Top Gun," "Rock and Roll All Nite" by Kiss,

Supporters trickled in about 9 p.m. as the polls closed.

Supporters anticipated the reelection of Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) and Rep. Anthony Garbarino (R-Bayport).

It was quiet when word spread that Gov. Kathy Hochul prevailed over Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, other than the strains of a country and western song.

Blakeman makes brief appearance at GOP election night party

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman arrived at the Republican election night party but did not immediately speak with reporters and address the AP declaring victory for Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Former Repulican U.S. Rep. Pete King of Seaford got to the party just after 9:30 p.m.

“I’m disappointed. Bruce ran a good race, he did all he could do. It’s one of those years,” King said. “As a county resident, I hope he stays on as county executive.”

Inside the party, Rosalie Cancellarich of Floral Park said though she wasn’t aligned with Blakeman on his support for abortion rights, she was disappointed he didn't win.

On the other hand, “I like a woman in office,” she said.

The first thing she'd like to see Gov. Kathy Hochul do is peel back bail reform laws.

Also at the party, Steve Sachs and Lisa Weisman of Babylon were shocked to hear from Newsday that the race was already called for Hochul.

“It’s not over till it's over,” Sachs, 71, said. “It's a little bit early for that. How do they know? She's been lying all along anyway. What's another lie?”

There is no evidence to suggest the election results are inaccurate.

Party identity less of a priority

Several minutes before polls closed, Nassau GOP Chair Joe Cairo shared his polticial predictions about the future of unaffiliated voters.

"People don’t vote along party lines anymore," Cairo told reporters. "I told Jay Jacobs, my Democratic counterpart, that in 20 years, his kids and my grandkids are going to belong to the same party. It’s going to be the ‘common sense party’ and the socialists way to the left."

Tush Nikollaj, a tech entrepreneur from Mayfield, an hour northwest of Albany, said though he was a registered Republican, he has voted for both parties through the years.

"I'm a registered Republican because I'm in Mayfield," he laughed. "But I’m totally independent."

 Nikollaj added: "Most politicians would look at you with glazed eyes and not really pay attention. But [Blakeman] is a businessman."

Democratic socialists win in House seats in NY

Democrats Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, two self-described Democratic socialists, won their House seats in New York City. Chavalier will represent the 13th Congressional District and Valdez the 7th Congressional District.

Hochul defeats Blakeman, Associated Press projects

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul has defeated Republican Bruce Blakeman, a Republican earning a second full term in office, according to the Associated Press, which declared the race.
Hochul soundly defeated Blakeman, who is serving his second term as Nassau’s County Executive, in a race that was dominated by issues concerning affordability, crime, immigration and energy prices.

“This is a great night in the state of New York and a great night for our country,” said state Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs.

Cheers erupted at the Nassau County Democratic Party headquarters at the Inn at New Hyde Park at 9:04 p.m. as a large projector showed that Hochul had won her race against Blakeman.

Some supporters hugged one another as the numbers for the race went across the screen.

“Fantastic,” said Ari Naveh, of Wantagh. “To see such a forceful rebuke of that kind of campaign filled with hate … it bodes well for New York and Long Island.”

Prior to the AP calling the race for Hochul, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took the stage at the state Democrats' party in Manhattan and said he knew, watching the 2024 presidential election results at a bar in the Bronx, his party had "suffered a devasting defeat."

"Our future of hope suddenly felt impossibly out of reach. How clear it was that we needed to offer a new vision. How many people had felt abandoned and ignored by the old way of doing business?" Mamdani said. "Too many of our neighbors had turned away from our party. Set up with broken promises and a failure to offer solutions to the problems that impacted their lives."

He vowed to work with Hochul and said the party was "on the cusp of delivering progress."

Newsday's Joseph Ostapiuk contributed.

Polls officially close across Long Island

Poll sites across Long Island have officially closed 15 hours after they first opened on Election Day. 

Voters are still entitled to vote past 9 p.m. so long as they checked in to vote before closing time. 

To check out results in real time, take a look at our tracker here, or watch NewsdayTV live here. 

A vote for a political climate change

Hempstead resident Mark Atkinson, 34, shared the same answer as several other people when asked by Newsday what brought him to the polls Tuesday; affordability.

"I'm also looking for just general decency in our civics," Atkinson said after voting at Barack Obama Elementary School in Hempstead. "I think that's been challenging lately. The political climate as a whole."

He said he was a registered independent.

"Right now, I'm leaning, Democratic," Atkinson said, "but I like to look at both sides to see who's offering the best policies, and also who has a better track record of doing what they say they're gonna do."

Hochul supporters begin to fill the ballroom

Supporters of Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York Democrats began to fill a cavernous second floor convention room of the Hilton in midtown Manhattan Tuesday night as the 9 p.m. closing of polls approached.

A DJ played as waitstaff passed hot dogs, warm pretzels and popcorn — keeping with a "Team NY" theme at the state Democratic watch party. 

Hochul’s campaign slogan, "Your Family, Our Fight," was emblazoned on the ballroom curtains and walls, a nod to the cost of living and affordability agenda that's been central in the gubernatorial race this year.

Early results outside NY favoring Democrats

Some early numbers from key congressional races are signaling a potentially big night for Democrats.

Those include a Democratic challenger significantly ahead in an Indiana district held by Republican Victoria Spartz, with more than half the votes counted. And Democrats in Florida are winning in multiple seats that Republicans had redrawn to favor the GOP.

The non-partisan Cook Political report has Democrats ahead five races that were listed as leaning or likely Republican heading into Tuesday’s voting. And Republicans are not ahead in any races likely or leaning Democrat.

In all, Democrats are leading in 21 currently held Republican districts, while Republicans lead in just one currently held Democratic district.

However, a Republican does have in a lead with less than 23% of the vote counted in what was being cast as a bellwether — a western Kentucky House district being vacated by a Republican running for the Senate.

Meanwhile, early returns are coming in some Senate races.

In a key Senate race in Ohio, former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is leading incumbent Republican Sen. John Husted. In Texas, James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for an open Senate seat, is ahead.

And AP was already calling the Senate race in Georgia for incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff over Republican Rep. Mike Collins. 

In Hempstead, a statement on Black voting power

After voting at Barack Obama Elementary School on William Street in Hempstead, Andre Haynes, 54, said bigger than any ballot issue, he cast a ballot to send a message: Black people are a significant voting bloc.

"It’s important that we vote to show we are an important part of the process," said Haynes, of Hempstead. "It serves notice to elected officials that we are a substantial voting bloc and they should pay attention."

Trump says he's prepared to use veto powers if Dems win

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Tuesday night if Democrats gain control of Congress he’s prepared to use his veto powers.

“I have the ultimate power — it's called 'veto,’” Trump told CBS News in a phone interview.

Trump spent most of the day posting social media endorsements of candidates he already backed, including Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for governor, and was set to watch election night results from the White House East Room alongside top advisers.

The President told CBS News, even if Republicans lose their congressional majority, he believes he still has “tremendous” executive powers to continue shaping federal agencies, boards and commissions that fall under the executive branch.

“We won the Slaughter case and the Slaughter case gives the president tremendous powers that it never had before,” Trump said, referring to the Supreme Court decision Trump v. Slaughter, issued by the court’s conservative majority, that allowed him to fire Rebecca Slaughter, a member of the Federal Trade Commission.

For Nassau GOP, a more swanky affair

The life size inflatable elephant. Nathan’s hotdog stands. Billy Joel blasting on the speakers — staples of past Nassau GOP election night galas but missing Tuesday as Republicans opted instead for a more swanky affair.

The Lannin, a luxury event and wedding venue in Eisenhower Park, was mostly empty as of 7 p.m., save for a few Republican officials and a crowd of news reporters huddled beneath a chandelier. In the background, a soft piano melody played.

The last time Republicans held their party here was during the February 2024 special election after former Rep. George Santos was expelled, which one GOP official said left the venue with “bad juju.”

Outside the main room, state Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra (R-Garden City South) said he was hopeful Nassau’s unaffiliated voters, though they edged out Republicans, would help Blakeman.

“It shows that there may be frustration with both sides,” Ra said. But, “The Republicans have done well with that voting bloc in Nassau County.”

Hempstead mother, daughter vote with ICE, unity in mind

Shortly before polls closed, Liza Guerrero, 50, and her daughter Leslie, both of Hempstead voted at the Barack Obama School in Hempstead.

For Liza, making a difference for the Spanish population and all the situations going on in Long Island with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was the main reason she came out to cast her vote.

“I think voting makes a difference,” she said. “Express yourself with voting by coming out here. To vote each time, absolutely has impact.”

She’s not sure which party has a better plan to address her concerns.

“It all depends. When they want your vote, they promise stuff. Then when they're in the position, things change. But, you know, this is how it is,” she said.

As for Leslie Guerrero, 24, while addressing issues with ICE is a priority, the division in the country is also a concern.

“So voting is just important right now, especially with what’s going on with the country," Leslie said. "I feel like right now we're very separated. We need to be more unified.”

How we get there she was not sure. But she believes voting is the start.

“Of course, you should vote for who you want, but really vote for those who, you know, can bring back the unity that we need,” she said. 

One Democrat + One Republican = Two unhappy voters

Republican Andrew Cunha, 36, of Dix Hills, is unhappy with President Donald Trump. Democrat Fernandez Morris, of Hempstead, is none too pleased with Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Both went to the polls Tuesday with grievances for the two chief executives on their minds.

Cunha said he voted for Trump in 2016 but his feelings about the president have since changed. Cunha said that in 2018, he "woke up and realized what a scam this was."

"It just gets worse and worse," he added.

At Barack Obama School on William Street in Hempstead, Morris, 48, said he is a registered Democrat. But between congestion pricing, which impacts his wife who works in Manhattan,  and fuel costs for him to get into Queens for his job, property taxes and "useless" $100 checks, he’s unhappy with the Hochul administration.

"We gotta have some change, some relief," Morris said after voting. "Whatever we have now is not working. You have to be close to being a millionaire now — $100,00 no longer cuts it."

AP poll finds voters are frustrated

The electorate is frustrated and unhappy.

Voters were sour heading into Tuesday. They overwhelmingly feel frustrated with the way things are going in the country today, according to The AP Voter Poll, which points to a midterm electorate that is deeply unhappy with the country’s direction and feels pessimistic about the future.

About three-quarters say they feel “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the country’s current trajectory. And roughly three-quarters say the economy is “not so good” or “poor.”

Government corruption was also a key issue with voters. Roughly half cited it and the cost of living as “crucial” to their vote for Congress — higher than those concerned about immigration enforcement policies, the war in Iran and AI data centers.

“The American people are angry. They want change,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who said momentum was on her party’s side.

Nassau Democrats ready for a party in New Hyde Park

Hours before the scheduled kickoff of the Nassau Democratic Committee’s Election Night watch party, the stage was set for a celebration.

Red, white and blue balloons and a "Nassau County Democrats" banner adorned the stage at the main ballroom at the Inn at New Hyde Park.

Several Democratic candidates for office are expected to make a stop at the party, which is set to get underway at 9 p.m. Several news crews arrived hours early to set up cameras and lights in the ballroom, which included nine round tables, a pair of flat-screen TVs and two large projection screens tuned to News 12.

A Facebook post by the committee promoting the event made clear that there would be a cash bar.

Jets vet, team doc face off for Arizona House seat

A New York Jets shadow hangs over the race for a congressional seat in the Scottsdale, Arizona, area, which is an open-seat race because the Republican incumbent ran for another office.

Both the Republican and Democratic hopefuls have ties to the NFL franchise. Republican Jay Feely is a retired placekicker who was with the Jets in 2008 and 2009. His foe is Democrat Amish Shah, a former Jets sideline doctor for five seasons ending in 2012.

The polls close in Arizona at 9 p.m.

How to watch the returns, before and after New York

Before polls close in New York at 9 p.m., a path for control of the U.S. House will have begun. Results already will be in from states like Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania, along with a single seat in Kentucky and two others in Virginia, among key early returns.

This group of early states contain as many as 15 races considered by political handicappers as pure toss-up races, and 18 other contests considered close. Given that Democrats need a net gain of three seats in the 435-member House to seize the majority, every race can be pivotal.

Polls close at 6 p.m. ET in parts of Kentucky and Indiana, running through when most polls close in Hawaii and in most of Alaska by midnight, with some polls there closing at 1 a.m.

An initial bellwether in the House contests could be the winner of a central Kentucky seat held now by Republican Andy Barr, who is running for the Senate. Polls in that district close at 6 p.m. ET.

An hour later, at 7 p.m. ET, polls close Florida, where there is a chance Democrats can hold on to several seats even though Republicans redistricted them, including that of Rep. Kathy Caster (D-Tampa), as well as Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia.

In Virginia, Democrats are zeroing in on two seats in Virginia held by Republican Reps. Jen Kiggans and Rob Wittman as also among early flip targets.

Polls close at 7:30 p.m. ET in West Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina, and at 8 p.m. ET, polls close in a bundle of states, including Pennsylvania and Maine, and parts of Michigan and Texas, where like in Florida, there is uncertainty over whether GOP mid-decade redistricting efforts have worked for the party.

Among notable races that have a Democratic seat in jeopardy include a northwestern Ohio district held by Rep. Marcy Kaptur — Congress’ longest serving woman representative — who faces a competitive challenge from Republican Derek Merrin.

Massapequa voter: It's about affordability

Affordability was his prime concern, Malik Archer, 30, of Massapequa, told Newsday after casting his ballot at AG Berner Middle School.

"Rent, gas, eggs; it’s all getting out of hand," said Archer, a registered Democrat. "I think Democrats are always more concerned with social programs and are willing to support them. They’re more mindful of the people. I voted the Democratic line."

'A long look forward'

Democrat Michael Campbell, 23, of Massapequa, said while he normally votes, he was particularly inspired Tuesday because one of his friends did not.

He said it's concerning that young people don’t think their vote counts, especially in a midterm election.

Voting in the midterms is a “long look forward” at the candidates who could ultimately lead the country in 10 years.

While he normally supports Democrats, Campbell said, “I’m open to splitting my ballot but at this time there is no need to.”

He added: “Right now the Democrats are the lesser of two evils.”

'Blank' voters could be key

Which way will the blanks break?

That's the question in Nassau County where those who are unaffiliated with a political party — referred to casually by political insiders as "the blanks" — make up more of the electorate each year.

As of 3:30 Tuesday, nearly 43,959 unaffiliated voters joined 60,579 registered Republicans and 62,292 registered Democrats to vote in-person.

Along with some of the other minor party voters, they made up about 170,000 Nassau residents who cast ballots on Election Day.

With just about 5 more hours until the polls close, the leaders of Nassau's two major political parties seem to have differing takes.

Nassau County Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo told Newsday he thinks Republicans and many more are "coming out strong" for Bruce Blakeman, the county executive who is challenging Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"We expect to continue our winning results with blank and independent voters," Cairo said.

But New York State Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs, who is also leader of the party in Nassau, disagrees. He said he expected more Republicans to come out and feels confident more Democrats will vote Tuesday night. He says blank voters, depending on the year and the issues, break Democratic in the county too.

"We went into Election Day up about 22,000 countywide, Democrat to Republican," Jacobs told Newsday as he was headed into Manhattan to join Hochul and city Democrats. "I think it's a good sign for Democrats that unaffiliated voters are energized and seem to be enthusiastic about voting." 
Jacobs seemed so confident in the results he said he would "congratulate the governor by 9:30 and high tail it back to New Hyde Park" to join Nassau Democrats at their watch party.

Newsday's Peter Gill contributed to this blog post.

Suffolk Republican turnout outpacing Democrats early on Election Day

In the first six hours of in-person Election Day voting in Suffolk County, registered Republicans outnumbered Democrats 48,148 to 40,307, according to the county Board of Elections.

Another 34,495 did not have a registered party and 3,505 were members of "other recognized parties."

The Republican edge on Tuesday is a contrast with early voting in the county, which took place from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. In Suffolk County, 74,261 (42%) registered Democrats voted early compared to 57,029 (32%) registered Republicans and 47,319 (26%) who were not registered with either major political party, according to early returns.

Party registration does not necessarily indicate which candidates a voter chose.

'You can't complain' if you don't vote

Nothing changes no matter who is in office.

That's what Falana Asadbey, 39, said, although she did go to the polls at the Alfred G. Berner Middle School in Massapequa on Tuesday.

The Massapequa resident said she always votes because the importance of casting a ballot was instilled in her as a child.

“There are no new issues that brought me out to vote,” she said.

“We still have the same problems but you have to vote because it’s your voice," Asadbey said. "You can't complain if you don’t take action.”

A critical election

Janet Henry, a Democrat, said she usually votes. But, she added, voting in this election was critical.

“We need more Democrats in office and they need to tighten up, when they get there,” said Henry.

After voting at Alfred G. Berner Middle School in Massapequa, the Massapequa resident, 68, said whoever is elected should know that “more money needs to go towards education" especially schooling for students with special needs.

"I think the best chance for that to happen is if there are more Democrats in office,” she said.

Perfect Election Day weather for LI

Voters and politicians got lucky Tuesday, with unseasonably warm weather throughout the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures this week, including today, are "at least 10-15 degrees above normal" with temperatures of between 15 and 20 degrees above normal Wednesday in some spots, the weather service said.

The sunny, clear conditions, perfect for bringing voters to the polls and last-minute campaigning, come toward the end of a dry stretch for Long Island that will last through Thursday, when there is a slight chance of showers, the weather service said.

'You have to be involved, especially now'

It was a family affair for Ava Mitchell, 64, who brought her daughter Britney Hayes, 39, and grandson, Cairo, to vote at Berner Middle School in Massapequa.

"I always vote; I have to do my civic duty and I always bring my daughter and now my grandson," she said. "You have to be involved, especially now."

She said the No. 1 issue for her is affordability, followed closely by concern about how divided the country is.

Both Mitchell and Hayes said they were Democrats and they voted that way because they seem to be more considerate of a broader spectrum of people.

"They care about giving more opportunities for everyone. They care more about the little guy, not just the rich. They truly seem to care about affordability for everyone, healthcare for everyone and they talk about clean water and clean air. The others not so much."

Hayes said she was happy to cast her votes for Democrats.

"They give more consideration to all types of people and seem concerned about everyone’s wellbeing."

What's up with the Suffolk clerk write-in candidates?

Suffolk County Clerk Vincent Puleo is running unopposed for reelection, and it prompted two candidates to launch write-in campaigns to challenge the incumbent.

Abigail Field, 56, of Cutchogue, a registered Democrat, and Christian Padgett, 61, of Port Jefferson Station, running as a Libertarian, both said their last-minute campaigns are about offering voters a choice when the incumbent has essentially been preselected to win another four-year term, Newsday reported last month.

The clerk's key responsibilities include managing records such as mortgages and deeds, business certificates and county and supreme court minutes.

Read the full story here.

Snagging an 'I Voted' sticker in Setauket

For some voters, completing their civic duty is something to celebrate. Displaying an "I Voted" sticker after walking out of the polling site is one way to do that.

They are a non-partisan accessory worn on shirts, tote bags and cellphones. The stickers are featured prominently in social media posts.

Election workers were handing out "I Voted" stickers at the Minnesauke Elementary School voting site in East Setauket into at least early Tuesday afternoon.

Those sporting stickers at the site ranged from 64-year-old Marla Gorman — who showed up to vote first thing in the morning — to 24-year-old Joseph Stimmel, who voted early Tuesday afternoon. Both are Setauket residents.

Stimmel told Newsday he voted because he felt a civic obligation to do so, but would have been disappointed if stickers were unavailable at the polling site. He said he’s "always excited" to snag one of the stickers.

"Genuinely, I’d vote anyway, but it does make me feel better about voting," he said. "When I went up to get the ballot, I saw the stickers, I was like, 'awesome.’ "

Knicks 'I Voted' stickers on eBay for $20

They are also collectors' items: New York City rolled out special Halloween-themed ones for people who voted early around Saturday and a New York City Marathon one for those who voted on Sunday.

A 2026 New York Knicks-themed "I Voted" sticker from New York City is already being offered on eBay for $20.

Last week, Newsday reported that while Nassau County and New York pay for and give out these stickers to voters, Suffolk County's Board of Elections does not feel they are worth the money.

Officials said the cost on top of other expenses, such as postage, would be too much.

Some private groups on Long Island — including the League of Women Voters — donate the stickers to Suffolk so they are available in some polling places.

Suffolk County Board of Elections officials pointed out to Newsday that a digital "I Voted" sticker appears on the screen of the new voting machines once a ballot is cast.

Where Trump is watching election results tonight

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is expected to watch election results from the White House East Room, according to the White House.

Trump will attend a private reception in the ornate room at 7 p.m., according to his schedule.

The president has no public events on his schedule for Election Day, having cast his ballot on Oct. 24 in Palm Beach, Florida, where he now claims residency.

Trump instead spent much of Tuesday morning posting Republican endorsements on his social media accounts, and giving a brief phone interview to conservative podcaster Dan Bongino.

"We're respected by the world again," Trump said on "The Dan Bongino Show." "We were a laughingstock two years ago. We were a laughingstock. And now we're respected again, like, I would say, never before."

Voting on your lunch hour? 4 things to know.

Heading to the polls on your way to grab a bite? Here are a couple quick things that can help.

• See our guide of all the candidates and where they stand on the issues here.
• Both Nassau and Suffolk counties have new voting machines. Here's what to know.
• Don't know where your poll site is? Check the state website.
• See who Newsday's Editorial Board endorsed in the elections here.

Taxes, bills front of mind for early voter at Penn Station

Janet Bullard said she won't vote for a Republican with President Trump in office. So the Copiague resident, who works for the MTA, voted all Democrat, including for Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"To be honest, I hate her," Bullard said. "But I'd rather vote for Gov. Hochul than vote for the Republican."

Bullard said she's lived on Long Island for 35 years. She was awaiting her train at Penn Station around noon on Tuesday. She had voted early.

She said her top concerns are her taxes and bills. She recited the amount of her electric bills and property taxes down to the dollar.

"She's doing nothing for us," Bullard said about Hochul.

She brought up Hochul's predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, who she felt did more for her with various rebates that could make a dent in her costs.

Hochul, Velázquez talk affordability, childcare with Queens constituents

Gov. Kathy Hochul spent the final morning of her reelection bid barnstorming across Queens with politicians from the northern, central and western parts of the borough, hugging children, petting dogs, posing for selfies and shaking the hand of a man who was begging.

In Forest Hills, at Hochul's first stop, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng and City Councilwoman Lynn Schulman praised Hochul as the best candidate to help lower household costs for working families. Hochul's foe, Bruce Blakeman, Meng said, "is pretending to care about our communities and our families in the weeks before the election."

Then, in Flushing, State Sen. John Liu walked with Hochul and Councilwoman Sandra Ung and spoke Mandarin to would-be voters exercising in a school park. Hochul, both said, has done a lot for Queens and deserves reelection.

Capping off the morning, Hochul went to Sunnyside, where U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez said that her constituents care about affordability, childcare and costs to start a family, and that no other candidate can deliver on those issues.

Why not Blakeman? Newsday asked Velázquez.

"Oh, please," she said.

"You can say it," Hochul said. "Tell him what you really think."

Velázquez said that "in New York, we understand that immigrants make America America," and "he has a lack of understanding of that important issue."

More than 92,000 cast votes in Nassau so far

As of roughly 11 a.m., over 92,393 voters had cast ballots at polling stations in Nassau County on Election Day, according to Jim Scheuerman, the Democratic commissioner of the county's board of elections.

In the first five hours of Election Day, roughly equal numbers of registered Democrats (33,945) and registered Republicans (33,347) cast ballots across Nassau, he said. Another 23,458 people with no registered party affiliation voted.

That's a contrast with the nine days of early voting, when registered Democrats outnumbered registered Republicans casting ballots in Nassau, as Newsday's The Point has written. In Nassau, registered Democrats cast 81,129 early ballots compared to 68,226 by registered Republicans. Another 42,438 early voting ballots were cast by voters without a registered party. Of course, party registration does not necessarily indicate which candidates a person actually voted for.

Overall across Long Island, early voting turnout on Long Island was 67% higher than in the last midterms in 2022, according to The Point.

Voting to stop the 'surge of the progressive left'

Michael Ashner, 77, of Cove Neck, said he's voted in every election since he was legally able to do so.

“Once I turned 18, I started voting and drinking,” he said. “I haven't missed an election since.”

Ashner, who said he is a registered Independent, voted for Blakeman because of his concern about the “surge of the progressive left.”

“I’m disturbed by that,” he said after voting in Syosset. “I believe in equal opportunity. I’m an incrementalist.”

Ashner said he voted for DiNapoli, a Democrat, for comptroller, but otherwise supported Republican candidates.

Ballot issues reported in Westchester County; LI officials say no problems so far

Some voters in Westchester County were having trouble casting their ballots this morning, officials said, due to problems with the scanning machines used to process paper ballots.

"The Westchester Board of Elections wants to reassure every voter that your vote matters, your ballot will be secure and your vote will be counted," the agency said in a statement. "We strongly encourage all voters to remain in line, exercise patience and, most importantly, cast their ballots."

Election officials on Long Island said no problems had been reported so far at the polls.

"Things are going smoothly at all of our sites," James Scheuerman, Democratic Commissioner at the Nassau County Board of Elections, told Newsday in a text message. "People are voting."

Suffolk County election officials said in an email that "aside from the usual early morning delays in setting up the equipment, all went well."

The new touch-screen voting machines are "very user friendly," they said.

Westchester is the site of one of the most hotly contested congressional races, between Republican incumbent Rep. Mike Lawler and Democrat Cait Conley.

The Westchester Board of Elections said paper ballots that cannot be scanned will be placed in designated orange emergency ballot bags that "will remain secure and monitored."

"These ballots will subsequently be counted in accordance with applicable election procedures," they said.

And the agency made a plea to frustrated voters: "Every eligible vote will be counted. No voter should be discouraged from participating in this election because of this issue. Your voice matters. Your vote matters. Please stay in line and vote."

Gov. Kathy Hochul, speaking at an event Tuesday morning, sought to reassure voters as well.

"The backup plan is in place, and so voters in Westchester should feel very confident that they should show up, they should continue to vote, if they’re in line, stay in line, and there is a backup plan," she said. "We plan for all the contingencies. The State Board of Elections and the county board of elections are working in coordination to make sure we get through this.”

LIRR riders divided on governor pick

Dierdre Ainbinder said she voted in Baldwin Harbor on Tuesday morning before heading in to work on the Long Island Rail Road.

Speaking at Penn Station, Ainbinder said the polls were particularly busy this morning. She said she voted for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is running for governor on the Republican ticket.

She said she hopes he is up for the job. Her preference was for former U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, who briefly was a Republican candidate for governor.

If Gov. Kathy Hochul is re-elected, Ainbinder said she would like to see the governor address sanctuary city policies and property taxes.

A rider heading to Huntington, who would only give her first name, Diane, said she voted for all Democrats, as she typically does. She said she found, based primarily on television ads, that Blakeman was too cozy with President Trump.

Some other commuters, even those proudly displaying "I voted" stickers, were squeamish about talking politics, even anonymously, Tuesday morning.

'You can't live on Social Security anymore'

Olga Belleau, of Setauket, said she came out to vote, in part, because of affordability issues.

"The economy — that’s one of the main issues," she said outside Arrowhead Elementary School on Tuesday. "You can’t live on Social Security anymore. And the money you have saved is dwindling like never before."

Belleau was also motivated by what she described as an air of prejudice against Latinos during Trump’s time in office.

The 85-year-old voter said she immigrated to the United States from Nicaragua when she was 20, and then spent decades working in the banking industry.

"I came here in 1961. This country was beautiful, very welcoming," she said. "I was never mistreated then like I have been since Trump became president the first time."

Belleau said she voted for Democrats up and down her ballot.

When asked if there was a race that was a primary focus for her, she told Newsday, "Everything. I feel this is important, you know?"

DOJ deploys election monitors as Trump warns of voter fraud

The federal Department of Justice has deployed election monitors to all 50 states, but voters on Long Island are not likely to see any locally.

To begin with, the number of federal election monitors is relatively small in the scheme of things — about 1,000 spread out nationwide. And in New York, the DOJ has said its monitors will be in the following counties: New York (Manhattan), Kings (Brooklyn), Westchester, Erie and Albany.

President Trump has ramped up warnings about voter fraud, and has said he’ll only accept the election results "if it’s an honest election." Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, said in a statement Tuesday that the agency is "pursuing transparency for elections in an assertive and nondiscriminatory manner."

While Long Island voters are unlikely to see federal monitors at their polling places, the polls are being monitored by local members of both parties as well as civil society organizations like the NAACP, Common Cause New York and others. You can read more about the groups monitoring the election on the Island here.

Election Day closures on Long Island

Students may be rejoicing today, while parents, not so much.

Most public schools on Long Island are closed for Election Day, which is a state holiday in New York. New York City public school students and teachers, meanwhile, have a remote learning day.

See more on what's open and closed today here.

'The taxes are ridiculous'

Mike Lennon, 65, of Port Jefferson, said he voted for Republican candidates up and down the ballot.

Speaking outside the Port Jefferson Free Library, Lennon said illegal immigration and government overspending were among the reasons he backed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for governor.

"The spending and everything that’s going on is terrible," he said. "The taxes are ridiculous. Everything is crazy."

Lennon also expressed concern about safety in New York City, where he said his youngest daughter lives.

"It’s really dangerous," he said.

While he disagreed with Gov. Kathy Hochul's immigration policies, Lennon said his vote on Tuesday was driven more by support for Blakeman than opposition to the current governor.

Blakeman "is good for business, good for Long Island, good for Suffolk County — a reasonable guy," Lennon said.

Voters cite immigration, 'open borders' concerns

Ron and Evelyn Cook, of Atlantic Beach, walked out of the Village Office polling center arm in arm minutes after Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman departed. 

Ron Cook, 77, said he was concerned about the country going back to the "Biden years" if Democrats did well Tuesday, with "open borders."

"My aunts and uncles and grandparents worked in factories when they came" to the United States, Evelyn Cook, 74, said. "I don’t mind immigration as long as they apply like our parents and grandparents did. And then you wait your turn."

Hochul greets voters in Queens

Gov. Kathy Hochul began her Election Day in Forest Hills, Queens, greeting would-be voters — some who said they voted for her already — outside a subway station, a Digestive Disease Care doctors’ office and the T-Bone diner.

Hochul asked voter Ives Silver, a 42-year-old architect from Forest Hills: “Did you get a chance to vote yet?”

He said he'd be voting later today.

For Hochul?

“Yeah, definitely,” he told Newsday. “So far I like what she's been pushing. I just like her energy.”

Hochul was joined by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng. She was expected to make additional stops elsewhere in Queens later.

Blakeman casts his ballot

Several blocks from his Atlantic Beach home, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman cast his vote at around 7:45 a.m. at the Village Office.

Accompanied by his wife, Nassau family court judge Segal Blakeman, the Nassau County executive spoke to reporters outside the quiet polling site for several minutes.

"I haven’t raised taxes a penny in five years," he said. "People are very happy here. They have prosperity. Things are going great here, and I want to make the state happy."

Blakeman predicted tonight’s election results would be 52-48%, favoring himself over Gov. Kathy Hochul.

A spokesman said Blakeman would spend the remainder of the day with his family.

Hochul, Blakeman make their final pitches to voters

In the days and hours before Election Day, emails and texts urging voters to get out and vote for gubernatorial candidates Kathy Hochul or Bruce Blakeman have flooded into New Yorkers’ inboxes.

"As you head to the polls today, remember this: a vote for Team Hochul-Adams is a vote to lower costs, keep New Yorkers safe, and stand up against Trump," an email from Hochul’s team said, mentioning her running mate, Adrienne Adams.

A text for Blakeman invoked the specter of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Hochul endorser, even before invoking the governor herself.

"Vote for Republican Bruce Blakeman for Governor," one text said. "Bruce will cut your taxes and stop Mamdani and Hochul’s radical socialist agenda."

Bringing joy to the polls, one song at a time

As the sun rose over the Red Door Learning Centers in Westbury, best friends Rodney Caines and Kern McIntosh prepared to bring some joy to the polling center.

The two unloaded a blue van and set up a table with several speakers. McIntosh, 51, a working DJ, planned to spend the morning playing music for DJs at the Polls, a nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 2009.

The first song McIntosh played: "Lovely Day," by Bill Withers.

"Music is universal," he said, adding that he hopes the tunes will help "lighten" the mood of an intense election for voters. "It’s one thing that seems to bring everybody together."

Caines, a Westbury Board of Education trustee, said his friend has been DJing since he was a kid, "standing on a crate, next to his dad."

Caines said he voted at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

"It’s important that we learn to work together, whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat," he said.

'Everyone should vote'

A slow trickle of voters moved through Minnesauke Elementary School in East Setauket on Tuesday morning, about a half hour after Election Day polls opened.

Among them was Steven Goldberg, 70, of Setauket, who said he has "voted in every election" because "it matters that everyone should vote."

This year, Goldberg said the gubernatorial race was top of mind for him. Gov. Kathy Hochul is running against Nassau Executive Bruce Blakeman.

"The governor’s race is very important to me," he told Newsday. "Based upon the two candidates, it was pretty simple to me as to who was the right one to vote for."

Hochul, a Democrat, won Goldberg’s vote, according to the Setauket resident.

"I just feel like [Hochul] has the people in her thoughts," he said. "In my opinion, [Blakeman] is a mini-Trump. ... He doesn't care about the little guy."

Marla Gorman, 64, of Setauket, said she came out to vote because “I really feel like this is the election that could [determine] the direction of our politics.”

Gorman told Newsday that she wanted to see a continuation of Hochul’s policies. She cited “meals in school, full daycare [being made] available and [Hochul] teaming up with Mamdani,” referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“I was kind of skeptical at first, but they're doing a lot of good for a lot of working families,” she said. “I'd like to see that continue.”

Voters head to the polls in Hicksville

Voters lined up bright and early at East Street Elementary School in Hicksville on Tuesday.

As poll workers tended to their duties, voters had already started arriving shortly after polls opened at 6 a.m. 

More than 175 candidates are running for office across Long Island. At the top of the ticket is Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, who is running against Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Polls officially open across New York for Election Day

Polls are now open across New York for Election Day, following a stretch of nine days of early voting.

To find your poll site, click here. You’ll need basic information to see your assigned polling place.

Polls will be open throughout Long Island until 9 p.m., though you can still vote past 9 p.m. if you checked in before closing time and remain standing at a line.

Those who feel they’re being stopped from voting can call a hotline by the New York Attorney General’s Office at 866-390-2992 or click here to file a complaint.

New data shows surge in number of unaffiliated voters on Long Island

A growing number of Nassau voters are now registering without a party affiliation, edging out Republicans, state data shows.

Numbers published by the state Board of Elections on Monday show that 31% of active Nassau voters are unaffiliated (commonly known as independent or blank), up from 28% in February of this year. Democrats and Republicans each saw a 1% drop in enrollment since last year.

In Nassau, "Independent voters now outnumber Republican voters," said Jeff Wice, a New York Law School professor and former counsel to the state Legislature.

Nassau’s spread of active voters is currently 37% registered Democrats, 31% independent and 30% Republican. Meanwhile in Suffolk, party enrollment has stayed consistent with 33% of active voters registered as Democrats, 31% as Republicans and 31% as unaffiliated.

The unaffiliated voter bloc has seen a steady increase in Nassau over the last decade. In 2016, 24% of the county’s active voters were independent.

The shift has been especially stark within Nassau’s "majority-minority" districts. Ten years ago, 58% of voters in minority neighborhoods were registered Democrats, Newsday has reported. That number dropped to 51% in 2024, with a growing number of unaffiliated voters in those areas.

Unaffiliated voters make decisions based on issues that matter to them, rather than on party lines, Wice said.

"Hard-to-call elections may end up being decided by independent voters," he told Newsday.

Both Suffolk and Nassau have new voting machines

Poll sites in Nassau and Suffolk counties feature upgraded voting machines designed to streamline the ballot casting experience. Suffolk’s touch screen machines debuted earlier this year while Nassau’s are rolling out for the first time.

Check out Newsday reporter Candice Ferrette’s story profiling the new machines following a combined $57 million investment.

See the story here.

Who's on the ballot? Newsday has a guide for that.

Still trying to decide who to vote for?

Newsday compiled its annual voters guide to get you up to speed with the over 200 candidates on the ballot this year.

The interactive guide lists challengers, incumbents and where they stand on key issues they look to address if in office.

You can access the guide here.

Election Day is today. Here's what to know.

It's Election Day Tuesday and more than 650 polling sites across Long Island will be open to cast a ballot.

Voting is from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. today across state poll sites, which include 347 in Nassau and 323 in Suffolk.

Unlike during the 9-day, in-person early voting period that ended on Sunday, residents can only cast an in-person ballot on Election Day at a predesignated polling location. 

There are more than 175 candidates in contests across Long Island, including those for federal, state and local offices.

At the top of the ticket, Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, faces a challenge from Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Hochul, in her fifth year in office, shares the ticket with former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is running as her lieutenant governor. Blakeman, one year into his second term as county executive, selected Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood as his running mate.

State Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, faces Republican Saritha Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor, while longtime state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, a Democrat and Nassau native, is challenged by Joseph Hernandez, a biotech entrepreneur.

Nearly 2 million New Yorkers have already voted, including 192,623 in Nassau and 178,613 in Suffolk, according to state from each election board. During this period, more registered Democrats turned out in both counties than Republicans, who may show in larger numbers on Election Day, experts say.

The Island's congressional delegation — two Republicans representing mostly Suffolk and two Democrats representing mostly Nassau — also face challenges in races that may impact who controls the U.S. House.

In the 1st Congressional District, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) faces Democrat Chris Gallant; in the 2nd district, Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Sayville) faces Democrat Patrick Halpin; in the 3rd District, Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) faces Republican Mike LiPetri; and in the 4th District Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) faces Republican Jeanine Driscoll.

There are also more than 30 state legislature races in districts covering Long Island.

All 19 seats on the Nassau County Legislature are also on the ballot, as well as the supervisors of each of the three towns in the county. In Suffolk, voters will decide on county comptroller and clerk as well as two contested town supervisor races.

Uncontested and cross-endorsed judicial candidates will also appear on the ballots.

Newsday's Bahar Ostadan contributed to this blog.