A special election will be held on November 5th to determine who will succeed Chris Carini in the Town of Hempstead’s 5th Council District. Until then, however, Republican Chris Schneider has been sworn in as a town councilor.

“I am proud to welcome Chris Schneider as a new member of the Town Council,” Supervisor Don Clavin said in a press release. “Although the Town of Hempstead has suffered a great loss with the passing of Councilman Chris Carini, the Town Council and I firmly believe that Chris Schneider is the perfect person to carry on Carini’s legacy.”

Kevan Abrahams, a Democrat and former Nassau County assemblyman, will challenge Schneider. The district includes parts of Freeport, Merrick, North Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh, Seaford, Lido Beach, Point Lookout and North Bellmore.

The special election follows Carini’s unexpected death on July 14 while visiting family in Florida. He was 49. Carini was serving his second term after running for re-election in November 2023. The City Council’s term is four years.

Schneider is vice president of the Wantagh-Seaford Homeowners Association and has also worked hand-in-hand with police officers on the Nassau County Sheriff’s Community Council.

Schneider has worked for the state Senate for over 20 years. Most recently, Schneider also served in a leadership role for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

“Councilman Carini was a tireless and dedicated advocate for the communities he represented, and the 5th Council District benefited from Carini’s work,” Schneider said in the release. “My goal is to continue his legacy of effectiveness, hard work and caring.”

Abrahams, 49, of Freeport, is the former minority leader of the county Legislature. He retired from the Legislature last year and has since worked as director of strategic planning at Northwell Health. He has been in public service for nearly 25 years, and his tenure has been marked by his commitment to the community as well as his efforts to ensure government accountability, according to Nassau County Democrats.

“Kevan’s leadership and integrity are unmatched,” said Jay Jacobs, chairman of the Nassau County Democratic Committee, in a separate press release. “He has been a great advocate for his constituents and fought tooth and nail against Republican corruption. He is exactly who we need on the Hempstead Town Council right now.”

Abrahams raised concerns about the Town of Hempstead’s tax revenues, which increased by just over $2 million, which prompted him to run for office. He also disagreed with fee increases for essential services.

“These backdoor tax increases affect everything from season and day passes for the city’s pools to parking permits and sports club fees,” he said in the Jacobs press release. “This is happening on the backs of taxpayers – the people are bearing the burden for the city’s financial mismanagement. This must change.”