GOP benefits from dropout in Hempstead supe race

Former Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner ran ads in the Five... — Former Lawrence Mayor Martin Oliner ran ads in the Five Towns Jewish Times seeking petition signatures to put him on the November ballot and saying he was running for Hempstead Town supervisor. He dropped out of the race but will remain on the ballot.

Updated September 22, 2026 5:27 pm

Daily Point

Oliner, a former mayor, makes his peace with Ferretti

Former Lawrence Village Mayor Martin Oliner told The Point he is no longer campaigning for Hempstead Town supervisor although he'll have to remain on the ballot, ending a third-party protest about a development near the Lawrence train station that could have siphoned some of Republican Supervisor John Ferretti's base and imperiled his reelection bid.

Over the past two days, Oliner said Tuesday, Ferretti and Republican leaders convinced him that the town doesn't support overdevelopment, giving him an out to end his campaign.

"I got what I wanted, which was no overdevelopment and no rentals," Oliner said. "Ferretti said the magic words — no overdevelopment, no rentals."

In a text to The Point, Ferretti praised Oliner's decision to drop out. "I am proud that my campaign has overwhelming support from the Five Towns community and am glad that support now includes Martin Oliner," Ferretti said.

It's too late for Oliner, who mounted a successful write-in bid to get on the ballot under the "Citizens not Developers" line, to officially withdraw and have his name struck from the ballot.

Still, Oliner is certain to get some votes on Election Day from voters unaware of the play-by-play of local politics. Interestingly, he told The Point he isn't spending any money to alert voters that he is no longer campaigning.

Democrat Joe Scianablo, who lost to Ferretti 53.3%-46.7%, or by 11,000 votes, in 2025, is challenging Ferretti again this year because of the state's even-year voting law.

"At the end of the day, I don't see taking those votes away from Ferretti," said Oliner, who dismissed Scianablo's candidacy.

According to campaign finance filings with the New York State Board of Elections, Scianablo has spent about $19,000 and raised about $42,700 in 2026, while Oliner raised and spent just under $40,000 of his own money. Ferretti, benefiting from the Republican Hempstead machine, has raised about $654,000 and spent about $471,000 this year.

The money Republicans have spent to reelect Ferretti and the influence wielded behind-the-scenes to get Oliner to bow out speak to the importance of the Hempstead supervisor's seat and its bevy of patronage jobs.

Scianablo didn't return a text to The Point.

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

Pencil Point

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