Winners in Town Trustee Race Will Come Down to Absentees

With 18 candidates for 9 seats for the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of East Hampton some openings will come down to absentee ballots — of which there are reportedly about 1,100 to be counted.

All of the incumbent town trustees received the most votes on Tuesday night, but Supervisor Elect Larry Cantwell said, "Absentee ballots will tell the tale there."

Trustee Stephanie Talmage Forsberg, a Republican, was the highest vote-getter, receiving 3,490 votes, or about 7.5 percent, at the polls with all election districts reporting late Tuesday night. Democratic incumbent Stephen M. Lester was a close second with 3,431 votes, or 7.4 percent. Trustee Clerk Diane McNally came in third with 3,131 votes, or 6.72 percent.

Current Town Trustee Joseph Bloecker, a Republican, did not seek re-election, instead running for town assessor, a race he lost to three-time incumbent Eugene DePasquale III on Tuesday night. Also, Trustee Lynn Mendelman did not seek re-election.

Here's a complete break down of the final machine votes.

• 1. Stephanie Talmage Forsberg — R, I, C (incumbent) — 3,490
  
• 2. Stephen M. Lester — D, I (incumbent) — 3,431
  
• 3. Diane E. McNally — R, I, C (incumbent) — 3,131
  
• 4. Timothy A. Bock — R, I, C (incumbent) — 3,045
• 5. Nathaniel H. Miller — R, I, C (incumbent) — 2,965
  
• 6. Sean D. McCaffrey — R, I, C (incumbent)— 2,836
  
• 7. Deborah J. Klughers — D, WF (incumbent) — 2,669
  
• 8. Brian Byrnes — D, I — 2,492
  
• 9. Dennis Curles — R, C, I — 2,438
  
• 10. Brian E. Pardini — R, C, I — 2,431
  
• 11. William F. Taylor — D, WF — 2,410
  
• 12. Afton DiSunno — D — 2,360
  
• 13. Michael J. Bottini — R, C — 2,318
  
• 14. Loretta A. Sears — D — 2,292
  
• 15. Ira M. Barocas — D — 2,112
  
• 16. Cate Rogers — D, WF — 2,093
• 17. Thomas D. Cooper — R, C — 2,065
  
• 18. Edwin L. Geus — D — 1,960