Belesi Wins Nassau Legislature Seat
More than one month after Election Day, the winner of District 14 has been declared.
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Republican incumbent Joseph Belesi has been officially re-elected to the 14th district seat of the Nassau County Legislature after a month-long counting of absentee ballots and machine audit.
A judge certified his win over Democratic challenger Eva Pearson on Monday. The final vote tally was not immediately available from the Board of Elections, but Belesi said he was told he won by 107 votes, which gives Republicans a 10-9 majority in the legislature.
"It's a win for the people of Nassau County," Belesi said on Monday. "It was a difficult month and a difficult campaign with many personal attacks, but I tried to stay above it all and plan to continue to do what I've doing, working to control the tax situation."
Since Election Day, when Belesi topped Pearson by just 51 votes and the race was declared too close to call, the Board of Elections called back all the voting machines and suitcases and then inventoried absentee and affidavit ballots by legislative district. There were 522 absentee ballots and 32 affidavit ballots, the hand signed ballots for District 14.
Absentee ballots were accepted until Nov. 15 as long as they were postmarked by Nov. 7. After all the absentee ballots were counted by the Nassau County Board of Elections in late November, Belesi was ahead by 85 votes for the seat.
There were 114 ballots challenged during the counting that a judge had to rule on before a winner could be named, but according to Board of Elections Chief Clerk Bonnie Garone, all ballot challenges were resolved outside of court.
The mandatory canvas of three percent of the county's voting machines passed the audit, Garone added.
"The next couple of months our work will be to cut while making sure we don't give up services to the county," Belesi said. "We must keep working to correct this. We live in the highest taxed county in the highest taxed state in the country and people have had it. They can't afford it anymore."
Pearson called her the race an "extraordinary experience" and says she hopes to remain active in the community.
"I wish Legislator Belesi and the people of the 14th Legislative District the best of luck as we move forward during these troubling times in Nassau County, " she said.
The outcome of this race had the potential to shift party control in the legislature for the next term. After Election Day, Republicans took an 11-8 majority, with slim leads in the inconclusive 14th and 18th district races.
In District 18, Democratic Glen Cove City Councilwoman Delia DeRiggi-Whitton ultimately beat Republican opponent Rob Germino and on election night Democrat Carrie Solages edged out eight-term Legis. John Ciotti, R-Valley Stream.
Belesi is a retired Nassau County Police Department supervisor who has represented the 14th Legislative District since 2009. The 14th district covers parts of North Massapequa, East Massapequa, Seaford, North Wantagh, Levittown, Old Bethpage, Bethpage, Plainedge, Farmingdale and South Farmingdale.
John Rennhack
6:53 pm on Monday, December 12, 2011
Unbelievable... Belesi keeps on lying. There weren't "many personal attacks" as Belesi claims. There were however mentions of his record in the legislature. And what a sad record it has been.
And how exactly can you "cut" and "..don't give up services." Those two are connected. You can't separate those. It's an idiotic thing to say.
Belesi needs to remember that he barely won re-election and voters will be watching him closer than ever. He voted lock-step with Peter Schmitt and Ed Mangano leading the County back to the brink of bankruptcy where Schmitt and Mangano brought the County in 1999.
Jay
4:25 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
The only personal attacks during this election came from you. Look in the mirror if you own one. It's pretty obvious all you do is lie. Look at the pot belly stove calling the kettle black. You need quite a bit of polishing you tarnished excuse for a politician.
Helen
7:52 pm on Monday, December 12, 2011
Aren't most politicians liars? I hate to think all, I would at least have to give newcomers the benefit, but alas we won't have one. They speak out of both sides of their mouths....it is all what we want to hear and then when nothing changes or changes for the worse, it's not their fault. It's criminal.
Sal
6:44 am on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
I agree with the above comments and would add; His job is to protect the interests of his constituency which of course he knows nothing about. We in Massapequa, Farmingdale, Seaford and the various villages he represents, just received a $100K NYS grant out of over $100million and that went to Farmingdale State College. Where was his fight for our piece of the pie? Our towns could use more State and county monies to improve our infrastrucurres, schools, etc.This guy was a police supervisor who retired on our dime so he plays the game well. He spends half his working days taking photos with whoever will take one with him. Get to work on procurring his towns and villages grant monies available,stop playing the political game and do your job.
Steve Capitola
1:39 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Now let's hope the rest of America wakes up and throws out that anti-American, communist, socialist, big-government-spender in the White House next year.
John Rennhack
5:27 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Jay, everything I said about Belesi and his agenda are factual. I proved it time and again. YOur ad hominem attacks show you cannot refute a single thing I said about Belesi. No one has been able to refute the facts presented about his horrible record.
Bill Fox
7:57 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Message to Eva Pearson: if you intend on running for office again I suggest you tell your campaign volunteers NOT to knock on doors during dinner hours % DAYS IN A ROW!!!!! I agreed to put a sign on my lawn but that wasn't good enough. Every night someone came to my house and neighborhood!! It caost you some votes, use it as learning lesson!
Tony
2:08 pm on Monday, December 19, 2011
Boy oh boy Bill, votes with your stomach and not your head. These people were doing what they were supposed to do. They were getting the word out about a local election. Most people that are going door to door also work. So what time frame does that leave them with to get the word out? It’s a shame you or anyone else would swing their vote because they had to answer the door during their dinner when indeed whoever the winner of the election was would in fact have many dinners interrupted by people of their 14th Legislative District whether it was a local function or a phone call asking for some kind of assistance or support. I could understand if it was the Last Supper Bill, so to get to the point, DONT ANSWER THE DOOR IF YOU DONT WANT TO AT DINNER TIME. But don’t say that you would cast a vote to someone else because you were interrupted at dinner time it’s just not right!
Larry Marino
11:41 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
just think if she had signs up that were not destroyed,walked around a little more,had some money,i would be embarresed if i was belesi
James M.
2:37 pm on Monday, December 19, 2011
Mr Beleisi
Stop signing on to borrow what can't be cut. Balance the budget by increasing taxes and pay off all of those Republican debts. I'm tired of hearing that the Budgwet has been balanced when in fact they borrowed $40M to balance the budget which will be paid off for 20 years. Balance the budget properly and increase taxes if necessary and stop lying to the public.
John Rennhack
7:13 pm on Monday, January 30, 2012
Aaaannnnddd.... I was right.. there goes the 8th Precinct. Will Belesi vote to make it a community center instead of a police precinct? Survery sez: YES!
Michael Collins
5:05 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Yes he did ! Turncoat that he is.
Merrick7
5:34 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Belesi is not a turncoat he is a former police officer and resident and deserves the respect of his constituents and county residents.
He has a knowledgeable background and should be listened to. He may differ on opinion in police matters from the unions but still deserves respect as all officers of the law do.
Tony
6:05 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Ya I hear ya...His salary was not affected during his term in the PD or his pension or was it, or is he out on disability I don’t know, maybe he will fill us in on it, and now he supports Pay freezes and consolidation? Does the saying don’t throw stones in glass houses come in to play here? The whole County is on a self-destruct course and we the tax payer will pay in the end. Did anyone get fired over the 7 million dollar lawsuit that the taxpayers have to pay because of the non-police protection suit just settled? No I’m sure we will just move forward to the next lawsuit. Support the cuts and lawsuits will prevail. We the taxpayer will pay. Even If Mangano and his team do not raise taxes and we move forward, we will still be lacking the funds to maintain our County. Raise taxes already and let’s move on. Our Home values are the lowest they ever been and this County is falling apart piece by piece.
John Rennhack
3:32 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
Sorry Merrick7, but respect is EARNED. Belesi has not earned respect as a county legislator.
Belesi is a puppet of Schmitt and wouldn't utter a single independent thought. Never has, never will.
Sal
6:21 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Merrick7
I ask again what has he actually done for his constituents? He tows the party line, doesn't fight for our share of state aid available, he touts his tax record which he did nothing but agree with the party line, now he leaves his public partially unprotected. Give us a break and do your job!!
P.S. Please no more photo ops with everything and everybody unless you earned the distinction of helping them!!