Former Village of Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner has launched an independent bid for Town of Hempstead supervisor, positioning himself as a community-first alternative in a three-way race against incumbent John Ferretti and Democratic challenger Joe Scianablo.
Oliner, who officially registered his campaign on May 7, is now in a race against the clock to secure a spot on the November ballot. According to the Nassau County Board of Elections, independent candidates must submit at least 1,500 valid petition signatures by May 26 at 5 p.m. As of this week, Oliner said his campaign has already collected roughly 1,800 signatures and expects to submit significantly more.
“I think in the next 10 days we’ll get another several thousand signatures,” Oliner said, noting that his campaign began gathering signatures shortly after filing. “We only started less than 10 days ago.”
Running on a message centered on local control and opposition to overdevelopment, Oliner has sharply criticized the current administration’s handling of a proposed residential complex in the Five Towns. He claims the project — which has drawn community opposition — exemplifies broader issues within town leadership.
“The town board already voted unanimously against it,” he said. “The town’s own engineers say the project is unsafe. The community is overwhelmingly opposed. All the supervisor has to do is call one more vote — the outcome is guaranteed. He refuses.”
Oliner has framed the issue as part of what he describes as a disconnect between campaign rhetoric and governing decisions.
“While [Ferretti] campaigns on protecting our suburbs, he is allowing developers to build even more than what’s being proposed elsewhere,” Oliner said.
Beyond development concerns, Oliner said his campaign will focus on infrastructure and transparency, citing water quality and municipal spending as key issues.
“We don’t have clean water, and nothing is being done about it,” he added. “He claims he cut taxes, but shifting reserve funds is not a tax cut.”
Oliner said his experience in local government informs his approach.
“I have a record of integrity,” he said. “If I do something, I do it 100 percent.”
As part of his grassroots effort, Oliner has been making personal visits to residents’ homes to collect signatures — a strategy he says reflects his hands-on leadership style. His campaign has also circulated a public call for support, urging residents to provide contact information for petition visits.
If elected, Oliner said his immediate priorities would include addressing water infrastructure issues and reevaluating zoning and development policies across the town’s 170-square-mile jurisdiction.
“This is about basic services — water, electricity, keeping costs down — and making sure government actually represents the people,” he said.
Supporters, including former Lawrence Deputy Mayor Paris Popack, have described Oliner as an independent voice free from political influence.
“He answers to no political machine and no special interests,” Popack wrote in a statement. “Only to the people he serves,”
Residents are permitted to sign only one candidate’s petition, making the coming days critical for Oliner’s ballot access effort. The Board of Elections will review submitted signatures for validity following the May 26 deadline.
The Town of Hempstead supervisor race is expected to draw significant attention this fall, with development, taxes and infrastructure emerging as central campaign issues.
“Martin Oliner has always stood up for what is right, and he will continue fighting for the good of our community every step of the way,” Popack wrote.
