Hempstead Voting Tendencies

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Hempstead, Long Island

The village of Hempstead, Long Island, as of 2007, has a population of about 57,000 people. 75% of the people are of legal age to vote. Voting trends show that the majority of the residents have been voting Democratic in recent years. 52% of the people in Hempstead, NY, are registered as Democrats. 46% are registered Republican. The remaining are independent at only 2%. Compared to the national number, where 48% of voters are Democratic, 52% vote Republican, and less than 1% vote Independent.

The median age of a Hempstead resident is 31 years of age. An even 30% of people in Hempstead are married while 6% are divorced. 20% of people are married, with children. 17% have children, but are single.

Hempstead is one of the few towns on Long Island that isn't predominately Caucasian. Only 22% of people are white, 53% are black, 1% are Asian, less than 1% are Native American, and 22% claim 'Other'. 35% of people in Hempstead, NY, claim Hispanic ethnicity, which means 64% are labeled non-Hispanic.

Current Status of Politics

Though the town government is still controlled by the Republican Party (and has been for almost its entire history), town voters lean Democratic in elections on the state and federal levels. In the last three presidential elections, the Democrat has won decisively in Hempstead. Bill Clinton received 56% in 1996, Al Gore received 58% in 2000 and John Kerry got 53% in 2004. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer won Hempstead by a very large margin in 2004, Democratic County Executive Thomas Suozzi won here in the years of 2001 and 2005, and most of the town is represented in the House of Representatives by Democrat Carolyn McCarthy, who has consistently won over 60% of the vote in the last few election years.

Council Members

Dorothy L. Goosby- Councilwoman Goosby was elected to the Town Board on November 2, 1999. Goosby represents the Hempstead Town's First Council District. She was the first African American woman to serve as councilperson on the Hempstead Town Board. Her term of office was a one-year term. But, on November 7, 2000, she was re-elected in a landslide victory in the newly created First Councilmatic District. She has been a long time advocate and supporter of children and youth programs, while serving as an adult member of the Girl Scouts and serves on the organization's Circle of Friends.

Edward A. Ambrosino- Councilman Edward A. Ambrosino was appointed to the Hempstead Town Board in March of 2003. He represents the Hempstead Town's Second Council District. Having served the majority caucus of the Nassau County Legislature as the first Majority Counsel, he authored the first rules of procedure and created its internal systems and committee structure. All of this while counseling the Presiding Officer, the Minority Leader and the Legislative Caucus in all legal and governmental matters.

James Darcy- Councilman Darcy was elected to the 3rd Council District during the special election held in November 2000. Darcy owns and operates his own general law practice. His areas of legal expertise include real estate, personal injury, wills and estates, general corporate work, criminal and general litigation and contract concerns. Prior to becoming a councilman, he served as Mayor of the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream from 1995-1999. As its Chief Executive Officer, Darcy was responsible for the formulation and operation of an $18 million plus annual budget. He supervised a staff of over 250 full-time and 300 part-time employees.

Anthony J. Santino- Councilman Anthony J. Santino was re-elected to his fourth term as a member of the Hempstead Town Board in the November 2005 general election. Santino represents Hempstead Town's Fourth Council District. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including being named "Man of the Year" by the Georgia Wright Animal Guardian Foundation, the Order Sons of Italy in America, the Iroquois District of the Boy Scouts of America and the Shanti Fund. Councilman Santino is also active in a wide variety of community organizations.

Angie M. Cullin- Councilwoman Cullin was re-elected to represent the Town of Hempstead's Fifth Councilmanic District in November 2004, where she has served since her election in November 2000. She is extremely active in the community including the advisory board of the Freeport PAL, a member of the Freeport Mercy Medical Center, associate member of Operation Pride and the Freeport Arts Council. She also serves as the chairperson of the Freeport Parks and Recreation Commission. She was a member of the Freeport High School Scholarship Committee, the Association for the Help of Retarded Children, the 1 in 9 Breast Cancer Action Coalition, and is a supporter of the Friends of Bridge and a member of the advisory board of the Father Peter Sweisgood House for substance abuse.

Gary Hudes- Hempstead Town Councilman Gary Hudes was re-elected to represent the Town of Hempstead's Sixth Councilmanic District in November 2005, where he has served since his election in 2000. He initiated the S.L.O.W (Speed Limit Odometer Warning) Program which helps to reduce the amount of cars speeding down our local streets. He also initiated "Operation Wheelchair" which is a program that collects and distributes gently used wheelchairs to needy seniors and disabled individuals. Hudes is a charter member of Supervisor Kate Murray's Town of Hempstead Task Force on Cellular Towers, which was formed to monitor and make recommendations regarding the location of cellular telephone towers within the township. Currently, he serves as Chairman of the Nassau County Graffiti Task Force, and has directed the cleanup of roughly 4,000 locations. As an owner and president of a jewelry business in Bellmore, Long Island, Hudes has devoted a god portion of his time to help small businesses grow and prosper.