STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — With the polls closed and election results being counted Tuesday night, here’s a look at how voters on Staten Island cast their ballots.
In addition to the widely publicized gubernatorial race, Staten Islanders cast ballots for the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Senate, State Assembly, New York City Civil Court and New York State Supreme Court. Residents also voted “yes” or “no” on four state ballot proposals.
Here’s a look at how all 13 races on Staten Island are shaking out.
For updated information and unofficial election results, visit the city Board of Elections website.
U.S. HOUSE — 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Incumbent Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) has declared victory in the race to retain her congressional seat, having accumulated 62.01% of the votes, compared to 37.83% for Democratic candidate Max Rose, with 98.03% of scanners reporting, according to the New York City Board of Elections (NYCBOE).
Speaking at the Republican Election night party at Labetti Post in Grasmere, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis called her victory one “of the people.”
In fact, she said about the meaning of her own name, “If you Google Nicole, it means victory of the people.”
In her speech, she talked about what she saw as key issues of the election, including inflation and economy issues — issues that she said “quite frankly the Democrats are not hearing.”
She talked about “getting the country back on track,” saying “on the federal level we already have legislation, we have solutions ready to go.”
“I hope we see victories like ours all across the country,” she added.
Self-identifying as a “no nonsense leader,” Malliotakis advocates for government accountability and transparency, supporting law enforcement and securing the nation’s borders. The congresswoman previously represented the East Shore and South Brooklyn in the State Assembly.
During his concession speech, Rose spoke about “concern and fear” about the future of the city, saying it makes it seem like elections “are life or death.”
“I really do understand how it’s not only heartbreaking, but it’s absolutely frightening,” he said, referring to the loss.
But, he said, “One election alone does not define the trajectory of our borough, our city, our state or our country.”
GOVERNOR/LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
At an Election Night party in Manhattan, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared victory — although the Associated Press had not yet projected her as the winner, given the number of votes across the state still left to count. Votes from Zeldin’s home county of Suffolk were also delayed, due to a previous cyber-attack that impacted transmission of the votes.
If Hochul’s win holds, it will be a historic one.
“Tonight you made your voices heard loud and clear, and you made me the first woman ever elected to be the governor of the state of New York,” Hochul said to supporters.
“But, I’m not here to make history, I’m here to make a difference,” she continued.
She talked about her vision for the state, including a reference to abortion rights: “This will be a place where fundamental rights are protected and women can make their own decisions about their bodies.”
Talking about the historic significance of the election, she said “I have felt the weight on my shoulders to make sure every little girl…knew a woman could be elected in her own right to govern a state as rough and tumble as New York.”
“New Yorkers, I will never take for granted the trust that you’ve placed in me,” she said.
As of late Tuesday night, Hochul has accumulated 55.19% of the vote, compared to 43.91% for Republican Lee Zeldin, with 70.7% of scanners reporting, according to the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE).
On Staten Island, Hochul received just 32.93% of the votes, compared to 66.42% for Zeldin, according to the NYSBOE.
Hochul served as New York’s lieutenant governor between 2014-2021, but took her current office in Aug. 2021 after former Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned amid a host of scandals.
Coming up through the Buffalo-area political ranks, Hochul developed a reputation as a conservative Democrat even earning an endorsement from the National Rifle Association in 2012 when she ran for re-election to a congressional seat representing part of western New York.
Since taking her office, Hochul has signed a variety of legislative packages, including one providing stronger support and protections for domestic violence victims and another creating a preservation trust benefiting the state’s public housing systems.
She’s also courted controversy with her $850 billion deal for a new Buffalo Bills stadium and her administrations purchase $637 million in COVID-19 rapid tests from a campaign donor in December and January.
U.S. SENATE
Incumbent Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) has declared victory in his race to retain the U.S. Senate seat that he has held since 1999.
“I will work just as hard to make this new term every bit as impactful as the four that came before it because you know why? New York is in my bones,” Schumer said.
As of late Tuesday night, Schumer has accumulated 58.13% of the vote, compared to 39.32% for Republican Joe Pinion and 0.48% for LaRouche-line candidate Diane Sare, with 70.7% of scanners reporting, according to the NYSBOE.
On Staten Island, Schumer received just 35.63% of the vote, compared to 62.29% of the vote for Pinion and 0.39% for Sare, according to the NYSBOE.
Since 1999, the state’s senior senator has worked his way up to the top of his party becoming his chamber’s minority leader in 2017 and its majority leader in 2021.
A lifelong Brooklynite, Schumer has developed a reputation as a political guru with a focus on state issues on the local level. He previously served in the New York Assembly and in the U.S. House of Representatives.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Incumbent Democratic and Working Families candidate Letitia James has declared victory in the race to retain her seat as the state’s Attorney General.
“New York, it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your Attorney General, and I am proud that you re-elected me to serve for four more years. Today, New Yorkers showed what our state is made of,” James said.
“Over the past four years, we have worked tirelessly to make New York a fairer and more just place for all, and tonight is an affirmation of all that we have accomplished,” she added.
As of late Tuesday night, James has accumulated 55.67% of the vote, compared to 41.66% for Republican and Conservative challenger Michael Henry, with 70.7% of scanners reporting, according to the NYSBOE.
On Staten Island, James received just 33.38% of the vote, compared to 64.64% for Henry, according to the NYSBOE.
James is no stranger to Staten Island — an almost-annual fixture at the Jerome “Jay” O’Donovan breakfast at Jody’s Club Forest before the Forest Avenue St. Patrick’s Parade and former New York City Public Advocate.
During her time in office, she has taken on a variety of powerful people and institutions, including former President Trump, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Amazon.
She won her first election in 2018 with about 64% of the vote.
STATE COMPTROLLER
Incumbent Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has declared victory in his race to retain the seat he’s held for a decade and a half.
As of late Tuesday night, DiNapoli has accumulated 57.71% of the vote, compared to 38.96% for Republican and Conservative challenger Paul Rodriguez, with 70.7% of scanners reporting, according to the NYSBOE.
On Staten Island, DiNapoli received 34.96% of the vote, compared to 62.46% for Rodriguez, according to the NYSBOE.
The State Legislature appointed DiNapoli to his post in 2007, having now won four consecutive elections since then.
Comptrollers have a variety of duties, including overseeing the state’s $246 billion pension fund, and during his time in office, DiNapoli has developed a reputation as a reformer.
STATE SENATE — 23RD DISTRICT
Democratic candidate Jessica Scarcella-Spanton has declared victory in her race to represent Staten Islanders and Brooklynites in the State Senate, though her opponent has not yet conceded defeat.
In her victory speech Scarcella-Spanton admitted that she was “shell-shocked” processing her win but felt very humble and thankful for the voters who supported her.
“I’m extraordinarily humbled this evening and still having a hard time believing that I’m standing here behind this podium. I started as an intern in the New York State Assembly, and ending up here is not something I ever dreamed of. But I feel ready for it because of the confidence you put in me. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for electing me to be your next State Senator,” she said.
As of late Tuesday night, Scarcella-Spanton has accumulated 51.26% of the vote, compared to 48.6% for Republican and Conservative challenger Joseph Tirone, with 92.16% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
Scarcella-Spanton — whose former boss is Sen. Diane Savino — raised her profile in the early days of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic working as the senator’s director of operations helping people secure testing and vaccine appointments as they became available.
Following her time with Savino, Scarcella-Spanton worked as assistant director of government and community relations for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Scarcella-Spanton’s priorities include improving public safety, tackling gun violence, increasing access to health care and expanding childcare and after-school programs, according to her campaign website.
Tirone, a small business owner and community advocate, has refused to concede to this point, noting the slim margin, outstanding absentee ballots and precincts that have yet to report.
“It’s extremely close, it’s not relatively close, so I’m not going to concede at this point. I’m still not mathematically eliminated. The buildings that haven’t reported in Brooklyn we are expecting to be overwhelming Republican voters,” Tirone told the Advance/SILive.com.
We’re still putting together the numbers so there’s no need for me to concede at this point. It’s going to be extremely close. I can tell you, I know that I’m going to get votes and it’s just a matter of how many I’m going to get,” he added. “Until they’re all counted, there’s no reason whatsoever to concede.”
STATE SENATE — 24TH DISTRICT
State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-South Shore) has retained his seat in the State Senate after running opposed.
As of late Tuesday night, Lanza has accumulated 98.76% of the vote, compared to 1.24% for write-in candidates, with 98.33% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
Lanza has served in his office since 2006 and last faced a Democratic challenger in 2012, when he won with about 78% of the vote.
Despite his staunch conservative stances, the longtime senator has worked across the aisle on several issues, including the maintenance of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge discount for Staten Islanders.
A former City Councilman for the South Shore, Lanza will become the Island’s longest serving official at the state level when Sen. Diane Savino and Assemblyman Mike Cusick leave office at the end of the year.
STATE ASSEMBLY — 61ST DISTRICT
Assemblyman Charles Fall (D-North Shore) has retained his seat in the State Assembly after running opposed.
As of late Tuesday night, Fall has accumulated 97.86% of the vote, compared to 2.14% for write-in candidates, with 93.85% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
Fall, the first Black Muslim to represent Staten Island in the State Assembly, has held his seat since 2019.
Fall previously served as Staten Island borough director for former Mayor Bill de Blasio, as well as the Chief of Staff to the New York City Parks Borough Commissioner for Staten Island.
Legislation that Fall has sponsored and successfully passed include policy to strengthen protections for minors from sex offenders, amending laws to enhance employee transparency, and protect access to urgent care facilities.
STATE ASSEMBLY — 62ND DISTRICT
Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-South Shore) has retained his seat in the State Assembly after running opposed.
As of late Tuesday night, Reilly has accumulated 99.07% of the vote, compared to 0.93% for write-in candidates, with 99% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
Reilly took office in 2018 after former Assemblyman Ron Castorina left office.
That year the former police officer and president of the the community education council for District 31 faced a third-party challenge and won with about 89% of the vote. He hasn’t face a challenger since.
STATE ASSEMBLY — 63RD DISTRICT
Republican and Conservative candidate Sam Pirozzolo has declared victory in the race to represent Mid-Island in the State Assembly.
“We are going to turn the state around,” Pirozzolo said during his victory speech. “We are going to save our state.”
“I promise that when I go up to Albany I will keep you first in my mind and what can I do for the people of Staten Island.”
As of late Tuesday night, Pirozzolo has accumulated 54.71% of the vote, compared to 45.18% for Democratic and Independent candidate Vincent Argenziano, with 97.67% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
Pirozzolo is a former president of the community education council for District 31 and operated a family-owned optical practice for 33 years. He identifies as a strong advocate for law enforcement in favor of “refund[ing] the police.”
Pirozzolo is vehemently opposed to the state’s current bail reform policies and has said he would repeal them, if elected, as part of his plan to address public safety issues. He is also passionate about improving the education system and ending COVID-19 mandates.
STATE ASSEMBLY — 64TH DISTRICT
Incumbent Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R-East Shore/South Brooklyn) has retained his seat in the State Assembly after running opposed.
As of late Tuesday night, Tannousis has accumulated 97.93% of the vote, compared to 2.07% for write-in candidates, with 98.37% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
Tannousis took over Rep. Malliotakis’ old seat in the Assembly that covers Staten Island’s East Shore and southern Brooklyn after the congresswoman left.
He defeated Brandon Patterson, a former staffer for State Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn), in 2020.
NEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT — 13TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
All three candidates — Judith McMahon (D, R); Ann Thompson (D, R); and Brendan Lantry (D, R, C) — have been elected to the New York State Supreme Court – 13th Judicial District, with voters selecting three candidates on their ballots.
After working in the private sector, McMahon’s judicial career was launched in 2003 when she was elected to the New York City Civil Court of Richmond County. She was appointed an acting justice of the Supreme Court in 2006 and was officially elected a justice of the Supreme Court in 2009. She is the wife of District Attorney Mike McMahon.
Thompson was appointed acting justice in 2022 after losing the 2021 race for the Supreme Court seat to Paul Marrone and Ron Castorina Jr. She is the first woman of color ever elected to the New York State Supreme Court – 13th Judicial District.
At age 35, Lantry became the youngest judge in New York City when he was ceremonially sworn in to the Civil Court of Richmond County in March. Lantry, who is the former Staten Island GOP chairman, won the Civil Court seat in November 2021 with 75% of the vote, with more than 52,000 voters casting their ballots for him.
NEW YORK CITY CIVIL COURT — RICHMOND COUNTY
Mary Kavanagh has secured victory in the race for Staten Island’s New York City Civil Court seat.
As of late Tuesday night, Kavanagh has accumulated 64.97% of the vote, compared to 34.95% for Matthew Santamauro, with 97.77% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
Kavanagh, a lifelong Staten Islander, has served as principal law clerk to State Supreme Court Justice Ralph Porzio since 2019 handling cases in various areas of law, including personal injury cases, matrimonial matters, select criminal matters and election law.
She’s previously told the Advance/SILive.com that the driving force behind her work is to help people, particularly in reaching justice.
“I’ve had a long career in public service and that’s really been my number one priority. And that’s what I want the voters to know – that this isn’t just a one-off for me,” Kavanagh said.
“This is my career and I’ve dedicated my career to helping people on Staten Island, between working with small businesses at the Chamber of Commerce to working with veterans at the mayor’s office. And even my time I worked at Children’s Services and Family Court making sure that abused and neglected children were being protected; and now in my time here as the principal law clerk for Judge Porzio. … It’s really just about making sure that people are being served, and that’s my number one goal,” she added.
Kavanagh said she realized her desire to be a judge during her time working in the family court system.
“The family court is a great place to work. You see a lot of families and in the judges you see their love of the law, their passion for their jobs and their compassion in actually trying to help these families through whatever issue they’re facing in the family court. I really found that inspirational. And that’s when I decided I would want to be a judge one day,” she explained.
“I believe I have that compassion, that passion for the law and the right temperament to do a good job as a judge,” Kavanagh added.
When asked what she believes are some of the biggest issues facing the court system Kavanagh said “access to justice” and timeliness in processing cases.
In terms of access she referred to people who self-represent as an example.
“I think access to justice is one of the biggest issues. It’s not an easy thing for a regular person to go into a courthouse to try to figure out what they’re doing. And I think that’s just one of the biggest barriers, making sure that we have the right services available to litigants who are representing themselves, to make sure that our self-help office is up and running and making sure people get the guidance they need,” she said.
When discussing efficiency, Kavanagh noted Justice Porzio’s “great statistics” in handling cases in a “timely manner.”
“I take great pride in knowing that people who appear in the court that I work in now have their cases either resolved or go to trial in a timely fashion. And efficiency is really one of my top priorities because I do firmly believe that justice delayed is justice denied,” she said.
Kavanagh is heavily involved in the local legal community, serving as vice president of the Staten Island Women’s Bar Association and a board member for the Association of Law Secretaries to Justices of the Supreme and Surrogates’ Courts in the City of New York. She is also a member of the Richmond County Bar Association, the Staten Island Trial Lawyers Association and the Columbian Lawyers Association of Brooklyn.
BALLOT PROPOSAL 1
Statewide
The first ballot proposal involves climate change and environmental issues.
Proposal 1, if passed, would have a say in the state’s ability to borrow millions of dollars to enhance climate change infrastructure, bolster community protections and fund a healthy environment, dubbed the “Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.” Total cost of the plan is $4.2 billion.
Specific allocations would include:
- Up to $1.5 billion for climate change mitigation
- At least $1.1 billion for restoration and flood risk reduction
- At least $650 million for water quality improvement and resilient infrastructure
- Up to $650 million for open space land conservation and recreation
As of late Tuesday night, 60.25% of New Yorkers have voted “yes” on the proposal, while 27.74% have voted “no,” with 70.7% of scanners reporting, according to the NYSBOE.
BALLOT PROPOSAL 2
The second ballot proposal was written by the city’s Racial Justice Commission (RJC), which was tasked with identifying how systemic racism manifests in city government.
Ultimately, the commission’s goal is to increase equity among different racial groups by changing city laws that uphold and enable systemic racism and other identity-based systemic discrimination.
Proposal 2, if passed would amend the New York City Charter to: Add a preamble, which would be an introductory statement of values and vision aspiring toward “a just and equitable city for all” New Yorkers; and Include in the preamble a statement that the city must strive to remedy “past and continuing harms and to reconstruct, revise, and reimagine our foundations, structures, institutions, and laws to promote justice and equity for all New Yorkers.” The preamble is intended to guide city government in fulfilling its duties.
As of late Tuesday night, 72.27% of New Yorkers have voted “yes” on the proposal, while 27.73% have voted “no,” with 96.2% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
BALLOT PROPOSAL 3
The third ballot proposal was written by the city’s Racial Justice Commission (RJC) which was tasked with identifying how systemic racism manifests in city government.
Ultimately, the commission’s goal is to increase equity among different racial groups by changing city laws that uphold and enable systemic racism and other identity-based systemic discrimination.
Proposal 3, if passed, would do the following:
- This proposal would amend the City Charter to: Require citywide and agency-specific Racial Equity Plans every two years. The plans would include intended strategies and goals to improve racial equity and to reduce or eliminate racial disparities.
- Establish an Office of Racial Equity and appoint a chief equity officer to advance racial equity and coordinate the city’s racial equity planning process. The Office would support city agencies in improving access to services and programs for people and communities who have been negatively affected by previous policies or actions, and collect and report data related to equity.
- Establish a Commission on Racial Equity, appointed by city elected officials. In making appointments to this Commission, elected officials would be required to consider appointees who are representative of or have experience advocating for a diverse range of communities. The Commission would identify and propose priorities to inform the racial equity planning process and review agency and citywide Racial Equity Plans.
As of late Tuesday night, 69.76% of New Yorkers have voted “yes” on the proposal, while 30.24% have voted “no,” with 96.2% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.
BALLOT PROPOSAL 4
The fourth ballot proposal was written by the city’s Racial Justice Commission (RJC) which was tasked with identifying how systemic racism manifests in city government.
Ultimately, the commission’s goal is to increase equity among different racial groups by changing city laws that uphold and enable systemic racism and other identity-based systemic discrimination.
Proposal 4, if passed, would amend the City Charter to: Require the city to create a “true cost of living” measure to track the actual cost in New York City of meeting essential needs, including housing, food, childcare, transportation and other necessary costs, without considering public, private, or informal assistance, in order to inform programmatic and policy decisions; and require the city government to report annually on the “true cost of living” measure.
As of late Tuesday night, 81% of New Yorkers have voted “yes” on the proposal, while 19% have voted “no,” with 96.2% of scanners reporting, according to the NYCBOE.