Town supervisor races: Joe Scianablo stuns incumbent John Ferretti in Hempstead

Democrat Joseph Scianablo claimed victory late Tuesday night in the Hempstead Town supervisor's race as Republican incumbent John Ferretti conceded, according to a town spokesman.

Scianablo's win was the most searing loss of the night for the Nassau GOP, which also saw Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman lose his bid to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Hempstead is arguably the party's base, where until the 2017 blue wave that elected Laura Gillen as town supervisor, no Democrat had been elected the town's leader in 100 years. Notably, former Sen. Al D'Amato, a Republican icon, was once the town supervisor of Hempstead.

Scianablo, 49, was clearly emotional onstage at a Nassau Democrats watch party in New Hyde Park. “We got the job done,” he said. “... I'm speechless right now.”

Later in an interview, he said his election shows residents are “craving change, craving accountability.”
“I have a career in service,” said Scianablo, who has been both a Marine and a police officer.

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

Scianablo, also a former prosecutor, said that voters decided “enough is enough” and that they were tired of the way things operate in Hempstead.

Ferretti faced a rematch of a race he won just last November against Scianablo. This time, however, the campaign didn't match the bare-knuckle intensity of a year ago, when Scianablo sued over Ferretti's sudden August 2025 appointment to the job after Donald X. Clavin Jr. abruptly resigned.

Former Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner also was on the ballot this year in Hempstead but not campaigning.

Scianablo's victory highlighted five contested Long Island town supervisor races Tuesday.

In Riverhead, Supervisor Jerry Halpin defeated Town Councilman Ken Rothwell, according to Suffolk County Board of Elections returns. In Southampton, Democratic Supervisor Maria Moore held a commanding lead over Republican Richard Carozza.

In Nassau County, incumbents in North Hempstead and Oyster Bay faced challenges.

East Hampton and Shelter Island had uncontested town supervisor races.

All the supervisor posts up for election this year on the Island were for two-year terms. All five incumbents in contested races, after winning last November, faced a race this year because of the state's move to even-year elections for many offices. 

Riverhead

Halpin, an independent, was elected last year on the Democratic line and won again Tuesday. Rothwell, a Republican, was appointed in 2021 to fill a vacancy on the town board.

Late Tuesday, Halpin was reluctant to claim victory, recalling a close contest last year.

He would accept victory “if the results hold," Halpin said in a phone interview. 

“I don’t like to do anything unless it’s definitely for sure," he added. "… I’m going to work tomorrow regardless. I’m excited about where we stand and looking forward to doing good work.”

Southampton

Moore, the incumbent, is the former mayor of Westhampton Beach.

Newsday reported last week that Carozza changed his voter registration to a new address in town on Oct. 1 — to one in Eastport, from Speonk — after previously listing a home that records show had been demolished four years ago.

North Hempstead

Supervisor Jennifer DeSena sought reelection against Democrat Sean McCarthy, a Port Washington police commissioner. DeSena was first elected to office in 2021.

With almost all precincts reporting, DeSena held a slim lead over McCarthy on Wednesday morning.

DeSena is a registered Democrat but caucuses with Republicans and was running on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Oyster Bay

Longtime Supervisor Joseph Saladino held a comfortable lead early Wednesday as he sought another two years in the town's top job. The Republican faced Democratic challenger James Hoyle.

Uncontested in East Hampton, Shelter Island

In East Hampton, incumbent Kathee Burke-Gonzalez ran unopposed on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines.

In Shelter Island, Amber Brach-Williams ran unopposed on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Newsday's Candice Ferrette, Alek Lewis, Joshua Needelman, Joseph Ostapiuk, Ted Phillips and Tara Smith contributed to this story.