Jodi Giglio Wins By Wide Margin In 2nd District Assembly Race

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A delayed vote count in Suffolk County led to many races with votes left untallied — and the wait continued for New York State Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio, a Republican, challenged by Democrat Wendy Hamberger.

However, the results began to come in just after midnight Wednesday. And, according to unofficial results reported by the Suffolk County Board of Elections Wednesday morning, Giglio took the lead by a wide margin with 35,809 votes, compared to Hamberger's 18,309 votes, with three districts yet to be reported.

"I am honored to be elected to serve the residents of the 2nd Assembly district. I love my job as a public servant and I will work hard for you," Giglio said. "I will continue to remain active in my community, so your voices will be heard."

As of midnight Wednesday, Suffolk County Board of Elections workers had difficulty loading memory cards needed to tally the vote, and reports have gauged the wait time anywhere from hours to Wednesday night. All the 1,400 memory cards from each voting machine need to brought back to the BOE’s Yaphank headquarters and then uploaded to indicate an accurate count.

Giglio served on the Riverhead Town Board from 2010 to 2020 and has held a seat on the New York State Assembly from 2020 to the present time.

Her goal, she said, is "to make New York a better place for families and businesses. I attend many events within my district to keep my pulse on the needs of my constituents. I make myself available to problem-solve."

Giglio described her initiatives, including a bill that increases STAR exemptions and adjusts personal income tax rates; a bill regarding Changing College Tuition Savings Program to include elementary and secondary schools; a bill honoring Keri Stromski, a kindergarten teacher who fought a fierce battle against metastatic breast cancer; and a bill to require landlords to install sprinkler systems and emergency fire escapes for multi-level rental buildings, "so we don't have what happened on Second Street happen again."

She added: "I consider myself a public servant and have made myself available to my constituents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

Giglio, who lives in Baiting Hollow, is a small business owner who has three children.

Hamberger, according to the Suffolk County Democratic Committee website, is an attorney who has served as pro bono counsel to the Nassau Suffolk Law Services Volunteer Lawyers Project. She has worked to help those who cannot afford legal representation and is a mom of three from Center Moriches.

Assembly District 2 covers the East End towns of Southold and Riverhead as well as some of eastern Brookhaven Town.