Editorial: Congrats and concerns

Tuesday was a busy night where candidates across Long Island came together to wait for the 2021 election results. 

TBR News Media spent the last month interviewing local officials and their opponents on the ballots, listening and reporting on what they can bring to the table if reelected or elected.

We congratulate the winners of this year’s races, and we are looking forward to working alongside them. 

But there is one thing that concerned us as our reporters waited to hear the announcements of both parties late Tuesday night. 

Several candidates did not actively campaign this time around, including for example William Amato who ran on the Republican ticket against Errol Toulon Jr. (D) for his seat as the Suffolk County sheriff.

Toulon, who has been county sheriff since 2017, was declared winner with 141,931 votes (54.30%). Amato somehow came close with 119,357 (45.67%).

Interesting for someone who never showed his face at any debate or public outing. 

It seems as though voters just went down the row for whatever party they chose. Did anyone take the time out to research which candidate would actually be there for their constituents? 

We know that this speaks more of what’s going on in the nation than about the candidates themselves. We understand the political divide and we don’t blame anyone for their beliefs. 

But it’s disappointing to think that someone who had no intention of actively being there throughout the campaign could have won such an important position. 

Would Amato have been ready to serve if he had won those extra few thousand votes? 

We encourage voters to do their part — submitting a ballot is just part of it. Read your local news, listen to debates and educate yourselves on what is going on in your community. Instead of voting for someone who may not actually be qualified, it’s important to understand who’s behind the name and what they can bring to the table.

Remember, if you don’t like your choices in a race, you don’t have to vote for anyone in that column on your ballot. Send a message to local political committees that asks for strong candidates who are ready to serve, instead of rubber stamping someone who just happens to belong to the same party as you.

Elected officials have difficult work to do, and if someone isn’t showing up when it comes time to campaign, that’s not a good sign.