Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray easily bested Democratic challenger Felix Procacci in her bid for re-election Tuesday night gaining more than 67 percent of the vote.
Murray earned her sixth term with 97,456 votes to Procacci’s 46,973.
“I am very pleased that Hempstead town neighbors have decided to re-elect me to the job I love,” Murray said. “I am eager to continue my efforts to control spending and taxes in America’s largest town. I want to thank taxpayers for the confidence they have in my ability to serve them.”
During the campaign, Murray said she intends to maintain the fiscal stability of the Town of Hempstead by reducing taxes for the third consecutive year, while continuing to efforts to improve residents’ quality of life.
“Every single day brings new issues, new challenges for people who are trying to make a living for their families. That’s what keeps the job ever fresh for me,” Murray said. “If at the end of the day you can solve a problem or help someone in need, that’s what keeps me going.”
Procacci, a community activist who regularly attends town council and Sewanhaka School Board meetings, is a member of the Elmont Civic Association and the Nostrand Civic Association in Uniondale.
In results for the Town of Hempstead Clerk race, Republican incumbent Nasrin Ahmad narrowly defeated Democratic lawyer Jasmine Garcia-Vieux’s with 51.99 percent of the vote compared to Garcia-Vieux’s 47.96 percent.
Ahmad, who was appointed clerk by the town council in September following then Town Clerk Mark Bonilla’s removal from office, received 71,334 votes Garcia-Vieux’s 65,800.
Bonilla was removed from office following his conviction on an official misconduct charge in July.
Ahmad, who emigrated to the U.S. from the UK, evoked her immigrant roots in reacting to her victory.
“I am very humbled and proud to be an American. Nowhere in the world can an immigrant be in a country, raise a family, work hard and do the right thing and be given the opportunity to serve her country,” Ahmad said. “I’m really very, very excited now to work with Kate Murray, moving on and serving these great people for the Town of Hempstead.”
A Salisbury resident, Ahmad had been an administrative supervisor in the clerk’s office for 15 years before her appointment in September.
She said she intended to examine the handling of licenses and put forms online to “streamline” things and make the lives of residents “simpler and easier.”
“This is what I’m looking into, rather than having people wait on line and fill out forms the old-fashioned way,” Ahmad said. “I would also like to put more information online about free services.”
Garcia-Vieux, a managing attorney for New York City-based Smith & Brink, also emphasized moving town forms online during her campaign.
