Richard DeMartino, a resident of New Hyde Park for nearly 40 years, knows that registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans 11,000 to 6,000 in the Town of North Hempstead’s 5th Council District. But, DeMartino said, he believes he has a message that can appeal to everyone, whether  Republican, Democrat or one of the district’s 6,000 independent voters.

“A lot of the people said they wanted change, that a lot of people have been there a long time,” DeMartino said in an interview with Blank Slate Media. “That’s what I’m hearing.” DeMartino, a businessman and banker, is running against Councilwoman Lee Seeman, the 12-year Democratic incumbent, in the 5th District.