Julie Lofstad Wins Special Election to Fill Vacant Southampton Town Board Seat By Landslide

After the votes were tallied, Julie Lofstad was elected by a wide margin in a special election Tuesday to fill a vacant Southampton Town board seat.

According to the Suffolk County Board of Election’s unofficial results Lofstad, a Democrat, won with 2771 votes. Her opponent, Republican Richard Yastrzemski, garnered 1,721; there were two write-in votes.

After the win, Lofstad told Patch, “I am going to work hard on behalf of the people of Southampton Town, to help make our community stronger. I can’t wait to get to work.”

The Southampton Town board has had an empty seat since November, when former Town Councilman Brad Bender was arrested and pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to illegally distribute oxycodone.

Lofstad told Patch she ran for the town council seat because she wants to help make the community stronger. “I have a passion for advocacy, and am looking to use my voice to help the people within our community. To me, that is what public service is all about.”

Her goals, Lofstad said, are to address water quality and housing issues, and issues related to over­development.

“ I want to make sure our children, our seniors, our first responders, are able to live here. I want to make sure all our residents live in safe and healthy conditions, and that landlords who disregard our town codes are held accountable. I want make sure we don’t lose the rural character we all love about this place. And I want to make sure that the beautiful beaches, bays, and ocean that we cherish, remain beautiful and accessible for our children, and for their children, to enjoy. If I can begin to move these issues in the right direction, I will feel I have made a start towards making a good difference and a brighter future for the residents of our town. That is my goal.”

Residents, Lofstad said, “don’t want to see big box stores on every corner. They want to see open spaces, white sandy beaches and clean water. They want their children to be able to find a good job here, and to be able to afford to live here. We live in such a unique place. We need to protect, preserve and cherish those things that make us want to live here, and brings so many visitors here to enjoy our Town ­ all the things that make us different from any other place.”

Lofstad’s career began with a stint at the World Trade Center, working for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, managing the Port Authority’s Airport Improvement Program for the three major New York area airports.

“After 9/11, I changed careers and began running the day to day operations of my family’s commercial fishing business, which is based in Hampton Bays,” she said.

In addition, she founded and ran a not­-for­-profit organization, the Hampton Bays Mothers’ Association. As part of that organization, she helped craft sex offender legislation.

As the co­-owner of a job matching service called UntappedAbility, Lofstad she she’s found jobs for former stay at home moms and others looking to get back in the workforce.

“We placed over 150 people during our time in business. I was also asked to attend and host an education lobby day in Albany, and speak with elected officials about flawed education reform, Common Core. I believe with this broad base of experience in business, and having worked with elected officials at all levels of government for years, plus my longtime advocacy on behalf of our community, will allow me to be a great asset to our town council.”

Lofstad, a Hampton Bays native, attended the Florida Institute of Technology, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Air Commerce Flight Technology, and earned a pilot’s license.

She and her husband Ray have one daughter, Olivia, who is a tenth grader at Hampton Bays High School.