BROOKHAVEN, NY — Polls closed Tuesday night in the race for New York's 3rd Assembly District, where incumbent Republican Joseph DeStefano faced Democratic challenger Josh Slaughter in the Nov. 3 general election.
DeStefano, of Medford, is running on the Republican and Conservative Party lines, while Slaughter, of Shirley, is running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines.
The district includes several communities in central Brookhaven, including Medford, Shirley, Mastic, Mastic Beach and East Patchogue.
Votes are being counted, and Patch will provide updates as unofficial results become available from the Suffolk County Board of Elections.
Election Results
Patch will update this story with unofficial vote totals and developments as results are reported Tuesday night.
11:50 p.m. update: The race for New York's 3rd Assembly District remained close late Tuesday, with Democrat Josh Slaughter leading Republican incumbent Joseph DeStefano by 908 votes. According to unofficial Suffolk County election results, Slaughter received 19,948 votes (51.13 percent), compared with DeStefano's 19,040 votes (48.80 percent), with all 75 election districts reporting. The results remain unofficial.
Results will remain unofficial until election officials complete the required canvass and certification process.
About the Candidates
Slaughter, a Shirley resident and labor leader, previously served as chief of staff to former Suffolk County Legislator Kate Browning for 12 years. A graduate of SUNY Albany, Slaughter is a member of Laborers Local 66 and serves as its Long Island political director, advocating for union construction workers and job opportunities.
His campaign has emphasized addressing Long Island's cost-of-living crisis, improving infrastructure and protecting the environment. Slaughter has called for reducing home and auto insurance costs, expanding access to affordable healthcare, increasing Long Island Rail Road service and strengthening workforce development programs. He has also advocated for a statewide moratorium on new large-scale data centers until their potential effects on water supplies and the electrical grid are better understood.
DeStefano, a Medford resident, was first elected to the State Assembly in 2018. He previously worked as a public safety communications supervisor for the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office for 27 years and has a long history of volunteer service with the Medford Fire Department and Medford Volunteer Ambulance. He also served as a Medford fire commissioner.
DeStefano's campaign has focused on affordability, public safety and securing state and federal funding for Long Island. He has advocated for reducing taxes and energy costs, supporting law enforcement and first responders, and giving local governments greater control over development decisions.
More information about the candidates is available on Slaughter's campaign website and DeStefano's campaign website.
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