Richard Carozza, Southampton supervisor candidate, changed address a month before Election Day

The Republican candidate for Southampton Town supervisor changed his voter registration to a new address in the town on Oct. 1, after previously listing a home that records show had been demolished four years ago.

The candidate, Richard Carozza, switched his registration to vote in Suffolk County from an address in Speonk to one in Eastport, according to the Suffolk County Board of Elections. But the Speonk home and other structures were certified as demolished in September 2022, according to Southampton Town building department records. A developer has since subdivided the property, where seven luxury homes are being built.

Carozza, 63, is challenging Democratic Supervisor Maria Moore, 66, who is vying for a third term. Moore, a former mayor of Westhampton Beach, is running on the Democratic and Conservative Party lines.

In a brief interview, Carozza said he moved to Eastport and changed the address because the Speonk property is being developed. He did not provide a timeline.

"The property was developed, and I moved to another house," he said.

Carozza did not return Newsday's requests for additional comment this week.

Carozza voted in primary and general elections last year while registered at the Speonk address, records show.

Under the state’s Public Officers Law, local candidates “must be a resident of the jurisdiction by Election Day — unless a local law or charter supersedes it or another specific exemption applies which broadens the geography,” state Board of Elections spokeswoman Kathleen McGrath said in an email.

Carozza said he is a partner in 21 Columbia Inc., the company that owns the Eastport property. The tax bill is addressed to Dee Muma, the owner of the Dark Horse restaurant in Riverhead. She did not return requests for comment.

Carozza listed as a "mailing address" with the Suffolk Board of Elections a condominium in Woodbury, part of a development known as The Preserve at Woodbury. He said in an interview that he uses the condo as an office. Carozza is a co-owner of the Woodbury property, according to court filings contained in an ongoing lawsuit in State Supreme Court in Nassau County.

He was registered to vote in Nassau since 1995 before changing his registration to Suffolk County in 2025, according to the Nassau Board of Elections’ Democratic commissioner.

Carozza works for the Town of Oyster Bay as a laborer in the town's general services department, town spokesman Brian Nevin said. His salary is $80,000, Nevin said.

Carozza told Newsday he is a general partner in RAC Group, which he said offers consulting services including insurance, charging stations, modular homes and real estate development. He told Newsday his business is based in Nassau, western Suffolk and New York City. Carozza's campaign website states that he "brings more than 35 years of experience in Long Island politics" and "has built a distinguished career in real estate development and financial services, with expertise in financial planning, capital formation, real estate management, and site development."

He also told Newsday he has volunteered for various Republican campaigns.

In Southampton Town, Democrats hold an enrollment advantage over Republicans. According to state Board of Elections data, 35% of registered voters in the town are Democrats, while 28% are Republicans. Roughly 32% are not registered with a political party.

Asked about Carozza’s voter registration change, Moore said in an interview: “I’m aware of the reports regarding the accuracy of Mr. Carozza’s voter registration and campaign filings, but ultimately, it’s up to the voters to evaluate the information and draw their own conclusions about who best reflects the values of our town.”

Newsday's Joseph Ostapiuk contributed to this story.