Democrats Sweep in East Hampton as Burke-Gonzalez Is Elected Supervisor

Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez led a slate of candidates endorsed by the East Hampton Town Democratic Party that again completed a clean sweep of every post on the ballot on Tuesday — the second straight election the Democrats have done that, and the fourth in which they have swept the Town Board seats up for grabs.

Burke-Gonzalez, who will become the fourth female supervisor in the town’s history, cruised to an easy victory over her Republican challenger, Gretta Leon, with 4,334 votes, more than 67 percent of those cast in the race, to Leon’s 2,067 votes, or about 32 percent. Burke-Gonzalez will serve a two-year term in the supervisor’s suite at Town Hall.

“I am both humbled and honored that the voters have placed their confidence and support in me,” Burke-Gonzalez said in her victory speech to more than 100 supporters at Coche Comedor restaurant in Amagansett on Tuesday night. “It has been more than 20 years since a female has been elected [supervisor]. And those of us with daughters know that representation matters.

“Tonight, I wish to assure you that our administration will always endeavor to reflect compassion, honesty and integrity for our residents,” she added. “As we know, the most productive way to open people’s minds is to not argue with them but to listen to what they have to say. And, as a community, we must continue to open our hearts to our neighbors, accept each other’s differences, and stand together in peace and love.”

Her running mates for the Town Board, incumbent Councilman David Lys from Springs and Montauk newcomer Tom Flight, also far outpaced their Republican opponents. Lys got 4,330 votes and Flight earned 4,037 votes. Republican candidates Scott Smith and Michael Wootton tallied 2,078 and 2,037 votes, respectively.

Lys will earn a second four-year term on the board, and Flight will join the board on January 1, replacing veteran Democratic Councilwoman Sylvia Overby, who will step down at the end of December after 12 years on the Town Board and more than 20 in town government.

“Kathee, I can’t tell you how honored I am to have the opportunity to work with you, David and Cate,” Flight said in a speech. “It’s been an amazing campaign … We’ve had such interesting conversations over the past year. I love the learning. I think we are people who are driven to do things better. I really look forward to working with you.”

Flight grew up in London and worked in corporate finance for The Gap and Walmart. He married a Montauk native and moved there in 2008. He is currently a member of the Montauk School Board and a volunteer EMT for the Montauk Fire Department.

Burke-Gonzalez’s election will mean that, come January 1, there will be a vacant seat on the council, since she had two years left on her current term.

Town Board policy in the two recent instances where that has happened has been to appoint someone early in the new year to fill the seat temporarily, until a special election can be held next November — a race that would coincide with the typically heavy voter turnout for presidential and congressional elections, but would likely be the only local race on the ballot. The winner of that election would then serve for just the final year of Burke-Gonzalez’s term before having to run again for a full four-year term in 2025.

Lys was the last person to have to navigate that electoral path after he was appointed to the board in January 2018 to fill Peter Van Scoyoc’s seat on the council upon his election as supervisor, and then won reelection in November 2018 and 2019.

With a more than two-to-one advantage in voter registrations, the Democratic Party’s dominance extended down the ballot. The Democratic candidate for the open seat on the town Justice Court bench, David Filer, won handily, with 3,929 votes, or about 61 percent, to Republican candidate Brian Lester’s 2,524. Filer will replace retiring Justice Lisa Rana, a Republican who is leaving the bench after 20 years, and will join Justice Steven Tekulsky, also a Democrat.

Highway Superintendent Stephen Lynch and tax assessors Jeanne Nielsen and Jill Massa were all cross-endorsed by both the Democrats and the Republicans and were running for reelection unchallenged. Each will earn new four-year terms in their posts.

Turnout for the election was moderate and about on par with recent town election years, with voter turnout of a little more than 30 percent.

The reelected candidates and the new compatriots will be formally sworn in at the town’s organizational meeting on January 2.

In her remarks on Tuesday night, the supervisor-elect issued a rallying cry to her colleagues, new and old.

“Those of us called to public service know that the work is the reward — and there is much to do in the next two years,” Burke-Gonzalez said. “David, Tom, Cate and I are ready to get started, and there is so much we are determined to accomplish. … Let’s get to work.”