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Virtual debates scheduled Monday night for Assembly, State Senate races

With Election Day closing in, the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island and North Fork will hold a pair of candidate debates Monday for two races that impact North Fork voters.

The first debate will run from 7-7:45 p.m. for the candidates in the 1st Assembly District and feature the incumbent Democrat Fred Thiele and Republican challenger Peter Ganley. Estelle Gellman will serve as moderator.

The redistricting process that was completed altered the boundaries of the Assembly districts on the East End, so Mr. Thiele now represents Southold Town in addition to Shelter Island and the South Fork. Riverhead Town, meanwhile, still falls under the 2nd Assembly District.

The second debate will be between the candidates for the 1st Senate District. Incumbent Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) will debate against Democratic challenger Skyler Johnson. The district includes both Southold and Riverhead towns in addition to the South Fork. The debate will run from 7:45-8:30 p.m.

Each candidate at both debates will be allowed timed opening and closing statements and answer questions contributed in advance to the League of Women Voters Services committee chair Barbara McClancy at [email protected].

The debates can be viewed live online at SEA-TV’s YouTube channel. The video will be available any time afterward beginning the next day.

While Election Day is Nov. 8, early voting will begin Oct. 29 and run through Nov. 6. The early voting sites remain the same in Southold and Riverhead: the Southold Senior Center at 750 Pacific Street in Mattituck and Riverhead Senior Center at 60 Shade Tree Lane in Aquebogue. County residents can vote at any of the early voting sites before Election Day. Information on absentee ballots can be found here.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights.

Here’s a complete list of early voting locations: