Special Election to Fill Assembly Seat in Part of Glen Head

Rob Walker (R) has resigned the New York State Assembly seat he first won in a special election in 2005, succeeding Assemblywoman Donna Ferrara (R).

Mr. Walker and Ms. Ferrara represented the 15th Assembly District, which includes some of Glen Head and extends northeast to Oyster Bay and southeast to Hicksville and East Meadow.

Mr. Walker resigned to join the administration of Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano as Chief Deputy County Executive. Ms. Ferrara resigned to accept an appointment to the New York State Workers' Compensation Board.

A special election to fill the 15th Assembly District vacancy left by Mr. Walker's resignation will be held on Tuesday, February 9. According to the Nassau County Board of Elections, the names that will appear on the ballot will be finalized on January 15 and available on January 16. The names will be posted here, on The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Spot.

Whoever wins the special election will be required to run again in November, when the Assembly term normally expires.

Mr. Walker, 34, was Mr. Mangano's campaign manager. In 1996, he was a legislative intern in Mr. Mangano's office and has served as the Town of Oyster Bay’s Deputy Commissioner of Parks, helped to implement the town’s environmental bond program, and was assistant to Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto.

Before his election as County Executive in November 2009, Mr. Mangano was a Nassau County Legislator representing the 17th Legislative District, which includes Hicksville, Bethpage, and Plainedge. Mr. Walker's mother, Rose Marie Walker, replaces Mr. Mangano as Legislator in the 17th Legislative District. Mrs. Walker had served on the Oyster Bay Town Council since 2003.