Editorial

For Long Islanders, every vote counts

Posted

On Nov. 7, residents will head to the polls to decide who will best represent their interests in their districts, from Nassau County executive and county legislators to supervisor and council members in the Town of Hempstead.

It’s crucial that voters stay informed and up to date, because the decisions we make in the voting booth can dramatically affect our lives and those of our neighbors and friends. To arrive at informed opinions, we must get to know the candidates — especially because they often run for local office more than once.

The county executive race pits County Legislator Laura Curran, a Democrat from Baldwin, against former State Sen. Jack Martins, a Republican from Mineola. There is a three-way contest for county comptroller, among Democrat Jack Schnirman, Republican Steven Labriola and Green Party candidate Laurence Hirsh. And Democrat Dean Bennett will face off against Republican Maureen O’Connell for county clerk.

More localized races will determine legislative representatives at the county level, as well as town supervisor and council members.

In the coming weeks, the Herald will introduce you to each of the candidates, and you’ll have a chance to read about their positions on a range of issues, and what their priorities will be if they are elected. But don’t stop there. Check out their campaign websites, and their Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.

And most important, put Nov. 7 on your calendar. We have no more important civic duty than to vote, and we only help ourselves if we learn as much about the candidates as we can.