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Fare, Grasso, Thomas win re-election

Incumbents sweep districts in village vote; mayor re-elected by 73 percent

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Mayor Ed Fare and Village Trustees Vincent Grasso and Dermond Thomas of the United Community Party won their bids for re-election handily on March 18, beating the challengers from the Neighborhood Party ticket by margins of nearly 3 to 1.

Fare received 1,979 votes to opponent Martin Zirpolo’s 745, or 73 percent of the ballots cast. Grasso collected 2,032 votes and Thomas garnered 2,003, while challengers Ingrid Izaguirre and Johanna David-Young had 664 and 666 votes, respectively.

Village Justice Robert Bogle ran unopposed on the United Community ticket, and received 2,308 votes. A total of 2,724 of the village’s 24,858 registered voters, or 11 percent, turned out for the election, according to Village Clerk Bob Barra.

That’s slightly more than the 2,652 voters who took part in the 2011 election, when Fare captured the mayoralty with nearly 75 percent of the ballots cast. Turnouts in previous years’ mayoral elections were significantly lower — 1,626 in 2007 and 1,624 in 2003.

“The opposition supporters tried to make this a partisan election,” Fare said to supporters gathered at the American Legion building in Valley Stream. “We know better. We are here because we have a plan, and that plan includes loving our community, not bashing it … Whether Democrat, Republican, old or young, rich or poor, no matter your race or religious beliefs, the United Community Party believes in you. We believe in the residents of Valley Stream, and our only goal has always been the improvement, advancement and betterment of our community.”

Fare thanked the party’s supporters, campaign volunteers and the candidates’ families, who he said weathered a contentious election.

Grasso said that many residents he met while campaigning seemed more aware of the party’s accomplishments during the past four years than the fact that there was an election approaching. “What really won the campaign was the last four years of work,” he said.

Thomas thanked his supporters, his family and the campaign volunteers who, he said, stuck with their task through cold weather and a particularly tempestuous campaign. “Some of these things are so personal, and so offensive to me,” he said. “I was actually kind of affected by that.”

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