Halpin maintains slim lead in supervisor race, recount possible

The pastor is on the brink of pulling off a miracle.

Jerry Halpin, the lead minister at North Shore Christian Church in Riverhead, maintained a slim margin over incumbent Supervisor Tim Hubbard on Wednesday afternoon as one of the closest races in town history remained too close to call.

The political novice held a 21-vote lead — 3,891 to 3,870 — as of 1 p.m., according to unofficial results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

The razor-thin margin kept both parties on edge late into Tuesday night as technical issues with card readers in two election districts delayed final results.

At 11:35 p.m., Riverhead Republican Committee chair Tammy Robinkoff said she received word from the Suffolk County Board of Elections that there was a problem with election districts 12 and 22, where 200 votes remained outstanding.

Officials are also still counting absentee and military ballots.

The tight margin may trigger an automatic recount, according to New York State election law.

“It’s still a decent level of uncertainty because we still don’t know for sure, and we won’t know for some time,” Mr. Hubbard said Wednesday.

“In a race that close, you know if it demands a recount, we remain hopeful that it’s going to go in our favor,” he added. 

Mr. Halpin, an independent candidate who ran on the Democratic line, expressed his gratitude for residents who “made it a priority to vote.” 

“I am excited about the current standings, and I am patiently optimistic as we wait for a final decision,” Mr. Halpin, who has worked in nonprofit leadership as a pastor for more than 30 years, said in a text on Wednesday. 

Ms. Robinkoff was still keeping the faith for a comeback by Mr. Hubbard. 

She said Tuesday at the Republican watch party at Stonewall’s Restaurant in Riverhead that none of the candidates would concede until all the results were in.

By 11:15 p.m., the atmosphere at the Republican watch party had grown somber as the crowd started to thin out.

Mr. Hubbard, as well as Councilmen Bob Kern and Kenneth Rothwell, stayed until the very end of the night. 

Mr. Hubbard stepped outside for air before Ms. Robinkoff made her announcement. At 11 p.m., the two candidates were separated by just six votes.

He noted the waiting was “a painful process.”

Out of 14,951 votes counted so far for the Riverhead Town Board races, Mr. Kern tops all four candidates with 3,907 votes. Mr. Rothwell follows just behind him with 3,833. Both incumbents look poised to fend off Dem challengers Kevin Shea and Mark Woolley, Mr. Hubbard’s brother-in-law. 

Mr. Woolley currently has 3,759 votes, while Mr. Shea racked up 3,452.

Mr. Rothwell and Mr. Kern, who both ran for a second four-year term, were both elected in 2021 and have played critical roles in making decisions that shape Riverhead’s future. 

Mr. Hubbard said he remains hopeful he’ll get to work again with Mr. Kern and Mr. Rothwell.

“I’m certainly glad to see them both in the lead because I think they’ve done a fantastic job as board members, and I think they will continue to do the same,” he said Wednesday.

Mr. Hubbard served eight years on the Town Board as a councilman and was deputy town supervisor in 2018. He has served as Riverhead Town Supervisor since he was first elected in 2023. Downtown revitalization has been one of Mr. Hubbard’s top priorities, as well as continuing to improve public safety. 

Like Mr. Halpin, Mr. Shea and Mr. Woolley entered the ring of this competitive race as newcomers. Mr. Shea, of Baiting Hollow, is a retired New York City firefighter and 9/11 first responder, and a staunch environmental steward.

Mr. Woolley, a Riverhead native, is a seasoned government liaison who has worked with six different members of Congress.

In other Riverhead races, Laverne Tennenberg and Mike Zaleski both ran unopposed for town assessor and highway department superintendent, respectively.