Long line of voters wait to cast their ballots on election night May 19.
Incumbent Massapequa Board of Education members Cher Lepre and Danielle Ocuto were reelected May 19, according to unofficial results, as voters also approved the district’s budget for the 2025-26 school year.
Ocuto led the field with 4,692 votes. Lepre received 4,532 votes, while challengers Lynn Russo and Bobby Bonett received 2,309 and 2,227 votes respectively.
As a result of the large and unexpected turnout, the district ran out of ballots and had to print more for voters two hours before the polls closed. In contrast to the more than 7,000 voters who went to the polls this year, only 2,177 voters showed up for the School Budget and Trustee vote in 2025.
Observers characterized the vote as among the most contentious school board elections in Nassau County this year, as residents debated proposed state legislation tied to the Massapequa school district’s mascot and name and the district’s stand in opposition to New York State law regarding transgender bathrooms.
After the vote, Lepre thanked the Massapequa community and reflected on the district’s recent challenges.
“We had to stay positive throughout,” Lepre said. “I don’t take anything for granted, but my gut was telling me that we represented what the community wanted, and I was right.”
Lepre added that she hopes the district can move beyond recent disputes and focus on education.
Looking to the future, Ocuto emphasized what she and the board believe are priorities for the district.
“We’re starting to utilize a data forward approach to the learning outcomes of our students, and that will be my primary focus,” she said, also pledging to continue the district’s current approach to financial planning and accountability.
Source: Massapequa Post
