A candidate disappeared months ago after an ocean swim. Can he still win?
LONG BEACH N Y AP A political candidate in the New York City suburbs went for a night swim in the Atlantic Ocean this past spring and never returned Petros Krommidas phone keys and clothes were ascertained on the sands at Long Beach on Long Island The -year-old former Ivy League rower who was training for a triathlon had parked his car just off the picturesque wooden boardwalk As the months passed local Democrats attempted to field a replacement to run for the seat in the Nassau County Legislature But two Republican voters took them to court and won a state judge not long ago ordered Krommidas name to remain on the November ballot ruling that he s still considered missing and not officially deceased Now as Ballot Day approaches voters in Long Beach and other South Shore communities have a curious choice reelect the Republican incumbent or the Democrat who seemingly vanished at sea Democrats want to elect the missing candidate James Hodge is among those calling on residents to cast their ballots for Krommidas regardless hoping to trigger a special electoral contest in which Democrats can put forward another candidate to run against County Legislator Patrick Mullaney The Long Beach resident worked with Krommidas at the Nassau County Board of Elections and had been tapped by Democrats to run in his place We need to stand by and honor his name and memory Hodge described The Associated Press Let s give him that triumph It s the right thing to do The Republican voters argued in their lawsuit that Democrats couldn t claim Krommidas was dead because officers still considered him a missing person Under law someone necessities to be missing for at least three years to be legally declared dead they argued Judge Gary Knobel agreed writing in his Sept ruling that missing person status does not qualify as a vacancy that can be filled Dead candidates have won elections before The justice in his ruling noted a similar situation decades earlier in Alaska U S Rep Nicholas Begich Sr disappeared in a plane crash weeks before the vote but still won reelection The Alaska Democrat was eventually declared dead and his Republican opponent claimed the seat in a special poll More in the last few days Dennis Hof owner of the Nevada brothel featured on HBO s Cathouse documentary series died weeks before the polling but still captured a seat in the state Legislature In Pennsylvania state Rep Anthony DeLuca won reelection after dying from lymphoma the month prior Hodge and other Democrats argue that Republicans only sued to assure themselves success as they seek to bolster their majority in the county legislature They say the lawsuit has only prolonged the anguish for Krommidas family I understand politics but there s a time to stop and be a human being declared Ellen Lederer-DeFrancesco who met Krommidas through the local Democratic Party Petros is someone s son brother friend Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph Cairo Jr in a announcement vowed the party and its candidates will show the highest level of sensitivity during these challenging times for the Krommidas family Krommidas family declined to comment when reached by phone but his mother and sister each took to Facebook in recent months to share a post calling for residents to honor and vote for him My Peter cared deeply about people and his group and continues to inspire kindness and unity in our society his mother Maria wrote in her post Eleni-Lemonia Krommidas his sister described him in her own post as a first-generation American who loved his country and considered in equality guidance and the power of unity Voters weigh in on the beach where he vanished In the days after his disappearance family and friends joined first responders in scouring Long Beach s broad more than -mile-long -kilometer-long swath of sand which is located just east of the New York City borough of Queens Specific of the missing persons fliers they put up with images of Krommidas youthful exhibiting delight face are tattered and faded but still visible on telephone poles around Long Beach Meanwhile campaign signs for Mullaney his opponent are prominently displayed on fences along the main thoroughfares and on tidy residential lawns The Republican didn t respond to emails seeking comment Along the Long Beach boardwalk last week longtime resident Maude Carione was dumbstruck at the choice facing voters in November It s insane to leave his name on the ballot You ll confuse people announced the -year-old who supports Republican President Donald Trump but didn t have plans to vote in the upcoming voting which features mostly local races In fairness you have to give another candidate a chance for the Democrats You have to For resident Regina Pecorella the decision while grim was clear If it s between those two I m voting for the person that s alive commented the -year old independent who voted for a straight Republican ticket in the previous vote I don t know how else to answer that
