Southampton Election Outlook

With the passing of Columbus Day weekend, summer is now well behind us. This has always been my favorite time of year on the East End.

While “Tumbleweed Tuesday” no longer provides the line of demarcation between summer and fall that it once did, there is an undeniable change in the pace of life and the character of this very special place in the fall.

Despite the weekend’s nor’easter, there is no better weather here than September and October. There is a crispness in air and a special quality to the light that explains the attraction of artists to this community.

Our agricultural heritage is on full display during harvest time. The water is still warm. The beaches are uncluttered. You can get a place to park on Main Street. For longtime residents, it is the reward for the insanity and chaos of the summer.

While the pumpkins, potatoes and grapes that graced the landscape over the summer are being harvested, political signs are sprouting in their place.

On WLNG, only an occasional “oldie” or newscast will break the constant parade of 30-second spots from local candidates. Residents will have to run the gauntlet of political candidates at the post office and grocery store. And, of course, there is the dread of answering your cellphone to hear a robocall asking for your vote.

It’s not just autumn, it’s election season.

To be serious, it is democracy in its purest form, something that we should never take for granted. The decisions that are made by voters in less than a month will shape the future of the East End for years to come.

After running for office myself 19 times, I now have the opportunity to put on my “pundit” hat and take a look at the local races in Southampton Town.

As I have previously written, voters will not have the choices that they should have had on November 4. Because of an odious political deal, voters will have no choices for town supervisor, town highway superintendent or town justice. Inexplicably, the Democrats ran only one candidate for the two open council positions on the Southampton Town Board, thereby conceding one seat to the Republicans.

The council race for two seats is arguably the most important choice this November. Republicans Cyndi McNamara and Rick Martel are the incumbents and also have the backing of the Conservative Party. They are being challenged by Tom Neely on the Democratic line.

So, where does the race for these two important council seats stand?

First, McNamara and Martel are the incumbents. While Neely has run for office before and has been involved in community pursuits, he is not as well-known. On the other hand, Democrats possess a slim but consequential enrollment edge in Southampton Town, with a sizable number of unaffiliated voters.

If 2025 is like recent off-year elections, energy and turnout will be affected by national politics. Will Democrats be energized to come out and vote to express their dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s policies, as they did in 2017 and 2019?

Looking at the totality of these circumstances, it’s safe to say that McNamara and Martel start out with a slim lead. They have greater name recognition and two ballot lines. Neely has only one ballot line and has the mathematical disadvantage of having no running mate, ensuring that at least a portion of Neely voters will then vote for one of the Republicans.

Can Neely change the outcome? Yes, but the result will depend on the answer to a couple of questions.

First, do voters think the town is headed in the right direction or the wrong direction? How deep is voter dissatisfaction with problems like traffic, workforce housing and higher taxes?

Every election involving incumbents comes down to whether the challenger can give voters a reason to throw the incumbents out of office. McNamara and Martel will be running on their records and their accomplishments. Neely will have to challenge those records and contrast them with what he would do. It’s not enough for a challenger to run on his or her resume. The challenger must give voters a reason to vote against the incumbents.

How will it turn out? This is an election where the candidates and the campaigns matter. What happens in the next few weeks will determine the outcome.

Finally, just a few words on another contested race in Southampton, the race for town clerk.

Sundy Schermeyer has been the longtime town clerk for Southampton. Town clerk is one of the least political and most professional offices in local government. She is opposed by Mark Bernardo on the Democratic line, a newcomer to town politics.

Schermeyer has to be considered the overwhelming favorite. She is a well-known and well-liked public official who has a strong record of professionalism in her current position. Frankly, there is no compelling issue for a challenger to grab on to in this race for town clerk. Regardless of Mr. Bernardo’s qualifications, he will have an exceedingly difficult time giving voters a rationale for why they should throw out the incumbent.