Election results: Carini, Giangregorio re-elected; Koslow wins Nassau District 5

Voters went to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots for the Nassau County Legislature and the Hempstead Town Board.

In the race in the Legislature District 5, Democrat Seth Koslow declared victory over his Republican opponent, Joe Baker, following a close race, and will represent Freeport, Bellmore and Merrick.

Koslow was born and raised in Baldwin, and his family has been an integral part of the community. His father is a businessman, and his sister is a teacher.

“I’m a Democrat and a criminal defense attorney,” Koslow said. “My opponent was a court officer for three decades. Republicans would have you believe that the police would support him. But they endorsed me, because I want to work with them to solve our safety issues, like enforcing gun laws, tackling hate crimes, and addressing staffing shortages.”

As of press time at midnight on Tuesday, Koslow had a 534-vote margin over Baker.

Koslow made the claim that his legal background, as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, uniquely equips him to address the complexities of the justice system. He aims to bridge the gap between communities and law enforcement, advocating for meaningful changes in community safety.

As a father of three, Koslow participates in youth programs, reinforcing his commitment to keeping young people engaged in the community.

His win, he said, was not just a political triumph, but also a testament to the power of personal connections, community engagement, and a commitment to the well-being of the people he will now serve.

“Republicans would also have you believe that security and freedom are mutually exclusive, but my experience reflects the reality that we can keep families safe while also protecting the rights of communities of color in an unfair system,” Koslow said. “Police and communities are safest when we all trust each other.”

Though his time in office has been brief, Michael Giangregorio’s impact as county legislator in the 19th District was enough for voters to re-elect him to a second term. With district maps redrawn, Giangregorio will now represent the 12th District, which encompasses parts of Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh and Seaford.

Since winning his seat early this year in a special election, Giangregorio has kept his pledge to freeze property taxes and strengthen law enforcement. “We want to hold the line on taxes, and make sure Nassau County is affordable for young people,” he said. “I have a 24-year-old, and I would like him to be able to stay in Nassau County.”

In addition to affordability and quality-of-life initiatives, Giangregorio wants to pursue grants for county projects, such as combating the opioid crisis. He also wants state and federal grants for infrastructure so the county can have affordable housing and expand.

Giangregorio said he believes in listening and working to improve things, and that he is just getting started in his legislative career.

“Thank you everyone here,” he said Tuesday. “You brought it out for me nine months ago — we did it again. I can’t wait to work with these people and make Nassau County a better place.”

Giangregorio beat Democratic candidate Matthew Pasternak by 6,028 votes. 

Town Councilman Christopher Carini was also re-elected to a second term. The Republican councilman from Seaford has long focused on quality-of-life initiatives that he says plague Hempstead communities.

Carini was first elected to the Town Board in 2019. Republicans had originally nominated Erin King Sweeney, but she dropped out late in the race, with Carini jumping on the ballot just six weeks before the election.

He said he had kept his promises — keeping taxes low and making improvements throughout the 5th District, which stretches from Seaford to Point Lookout.

Carini beat his Democratic opponent, Jasmine Peña, by 5,491 votes.

“Thank you to everyone in this room,” Carini said on Tuesday night. “Tomorrow we start our work and continue our fight for safe and affordable neighborhoods.”