The election battle in the 9th district of Nassau County, Long Island, remains highly contested. Democratic candidate Juleigh Chin declared her victory over Republican incumbent Scott Strauss one week after the election day. As of November 10, on a Tuesday evening, Chin held a narrow lead of 79 votes against Strauss. The Republican party has pointed out that the margin between the two candidates is less than 0.5%, prompting them to request a full recount according to election law. Therefore, the final outcome is still waiting to be confirmed.
As it stands, Juleigh Chin has received a total of 13,964 votes, while Scott Strauss has garnered 13,885 votes. The competition between them was so close that last Monday, they were separated by just a single vote. However, by November 9, the gap had widened to 25 votes, and by Tuesday, it increased further to 79 votes.
Jay Jacobs, the chair of the New York State Democratic Party, expressed his confidence that Chin will emerge victorious in the end, noting the current count of outstanding ballots and Chin’s growing lead. Jacobs acknowledged the likelihood of a recount but suggested that the chances of a reversal of the results are quite low.
In her victory statement on November 10, Juleigh Chin highlighted her achievement as the first Asian American elected to the Nassau County Legislature, as well as being the first woman and Democrat to represent the district. She stated, “I am ready to work for the entire community.”
Chin brings over 20 years of community service experience to this legislative role. She has previously served as the chair of the Herricks School District Board of Education, the deputy clerk of the town, and has also worked in community outreach. Looking ahead, she emphasized that her focus will be on addressing rising living costs, caring for children and the elderly, improving community infrastructure, maintaining public safety, and ensuring taxpayers’ money is utilized responsibly.
In response, Joe Cairo, chair of the Nassau County Republican Committee, issued a statement highlighting the minimal vote difference, under 0.5%. He reaffirmed that a full recount would take place as stipulated by law. “Although Strauss is trailing by less than 80 votes, we are still awaiting the recount results,” Cairo noted.
The boundaries for the 9th district were redrawn last year, extending from New Hyde Park to Mineola and encompassing communities along the Long Island Expressway, Northern State Parkway, and Jericho Turnpike. The Nassau County has classified this district as an “Asian Influential District,” where approximately one-third of the registered voters are of Asian descent. Should Juleigh Chin ultimately secure her victory, it would mark a historic milestone for the district.