Assemb. Joseph Saladino, R-Massapequa, will move on as Republican voters chose him in a primary election on Thursday over challenger Richard Young, R-West Islip, for nomination as candidate for the Ninth Assembly District this November. Saladino, as of 11 p.m., had secured over 81 percent of voters in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Voters packed the polls in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Suffolk Voters gave Saladino nearly 70 percent of the vote, registering over 1,100 votes. Young, in his home county, recorded over 500 votes. In Nassau County, nine out of every 10 voters selected Saladino, with the Assemblyman taking in over 2,000 Nassau voters.
Saladino has been an Assemblyman in the Ninth District for eight years since being voted to office in 2004. The Democratic Parties of Nassau and Suffolk Counties have yet to announce a challenging candidate for the upcoming election.
"I'm very grateful and appreciative to the voters in Nassau County to approve the way I've done things and tried to protect our community," said Saladino in an interview with Patch. Saladino called his victory a landslide and said the night was "wonderful, just wonderful."
"I'm also very appreciative to those in Suffolk – we've made so many good friendships. Its wonderful to work as a catalyst to work for a common goal for both counties. Long Island is a unified front to get our fair share in Albany," he said. Saladino also noted his thanks to his brother, Jim, for helping him with his campaign in Suffolk County.
The Ninth District was reorganized following this year's redistricting and ceased to include many areas it formerly covered, including Levittown and Farmingdale. The new Ninth District covers Massapequa and Massapequa Park, south to the Barrier Islands, and then covers areas of West Babylon, North Babylon and West Islip and all of Babylon Village.
Final Unofficial Results as of 11 p.m.
Candidate Total Votes Percentage Suffolk Votes Nassau Votes Joseph Saladino 3170 81.3% 1130 2040 Richard Young 723 18.5% 502 221 Write-Ins 5 0.13% 2 3* Results are not final until certified by the Board of Elections. Absentee and provisional ballots may still need to be counted.
