Deja vu at the polls: Why many Long Island voters are seeing the same races on the ballot again
When you cast your ballot this November, you may find yourself thinking, "Wait... didn't we just do this last year?"
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As baseball legend Yogi Berra famously said, "It's like deja vu all over again."
Many Long Island voters will, in fact, see candidates and races on the ballot that they voted on just one year ago.
"It's a little more challenging, but it's okay because it makes sure that we're out as an incumbent," said incumbent Nassau County Legislator Scott Strauss.
"It's tiring, of course. But it also gives us the opportunity to really dig deep and find out what people are thinking," said his Democratic challenger, Juleigh Chin.
The unusual election cycle is the result of New York's even-year election law taking effect. To make the transition, many local offices that were on the ballot in 2025 are back before voters again in 2026.
In Nassau County, that includes all 19 County Legislature seats, as well as supervisor races in Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay. In Hempstead, voters will see a rematch of last year's supervisor race.
"This year, unlike last year, it's not about what I will do for the residents of the Town of Hempstead. It's what I've done," said incumbent Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin.
His Democratic challenger, Joe Scianablo, says last year's campaign laid the groundwork for another run.
"We started a movement, a real grassroots movement to address most concerns," Scianablo said.
In Suffolk County, four town supervisor races are also on the ballot for the second consecutive year. Voters in East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island and Southampton will once again choose their town's chief elected official after voting in those same contests last year.
County legislators in Suffolk avoided having to run again after voters approved a referendum last year extending their terms and aligning those elections with the new schedule.
"All 18 of them would be running this year if that hadn't happened," said political consultant Michael Dawidziak.
So, will this year's results simply be a replay of last year's?
Not necessarily.
Party leaders and political observers say voters often take a "what have you done for me lately" approach, meaning incumbents and challengers alike will need to make a fresh case to voters. Campaigns are also adjusting their strategies to focus on issues that have emerged since the last election.
Besides, as Yogi Berra once said, "The future ain't what it used to be."
