Tuesday November 7th is Election Day. Please go out and vote!
In East Hampton, we will be voting for Town Supervisor, Town Board, Town Trustees and county wide offices including Suffolk County District Attorney and Suffolk County Legislator. If you are feeling frustrated with your elected representatives, exercise your right to vote and make changes. If you are happy with your elected representatives, exercise your right to vote and keep those representatives in office. Every vote will have an impact this year. I personally support Peter Van Scoyoc, Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, Jeff Bragman, Tim Sini and the other Democratic candidates.
Historically, voter turnout is very low in odd numbered election years, and this can have real consequences on who wins. Four years ago in the election for East Hampton Town Board, a losing candidate Job Potter, lost by only 291 votes. That year, there were 9,538 registered voters in East Hampton who did not turn out to vote (and plenty more East Hampton residents who are eligible but not registered to vote). In an election decided by such a small margin, the residents who did not come out to the polls could have changed the election’s outcome.
And this impact in congressional elections is just as pronounced. In 2012, a presidential election year with 63% turnout, Tim Bishop won our district with 53% of the vote. In 2014, without a presidential election on the ballot, turnout fell to 39%, and Bishop’s vote share fell to 46%, as many of his 2012 voters did not show up for the midterm election. The 2016 Democratic Primary for CD-1 makes this point even more strikingly because only 9% of eligible Democratic Primary voters turned out to vote.
Our community needs you to vote on Nov. 7. In local elections, your individual vote can make a big difference. Our representation and our democracy depend on your participation, and your vote matters! If you are not registered, please register so you can vote next year. Only you can make changes in our government leadership.
Make your voice heard. Cast your vote on November 7th.
Sincerely, Perry Gershon
R&R - Reachout and Rebuild 
Another reason to go vote: to demonstrate Democratic momentum in this area that can encourage candidates and donors for the important effort next fall to unseat Lee Zeldin, who has attached himself to Trump, as Fred Thiele said recently, “like a barnacle to the hull of the Titanic.”