Missing long island candidate to remain on ballot months after vanishing in atlantic

Missing Long Island candidate to remain on ballot months after vanishing in Atlantic

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1 min read
October 13, 2025

LONG BEACH, NY – Voters in one Nassau County district will cast ballots next month for a candidate who disappeared at sea, after a judge ruled his name must remain on the ballot.

Petros Krommidas, 29, a Long Beach Democrat and former Ivy League rower, went missing in the Atlantic Ocean after going for a night swim this past spring.

His car was found parked near the boardwalk, with his phone, keys, and clothes left on the sand.

Authorities conducted an extensive search, but Krommidas was never recovered and has not been declared dead.

As the November election approaches, his name will still appear opposite the Republican incumbent for a seat in the Nassau County Legislature.

Judge: still missing, not deceased

Local Democratic leaders attempted to name a replacement candidate after months passed without word from Krommidas.

However, two Republican voters challenged the substitution in court, arguing that state law allows no replacement unless the candidate is officially declared deceased.

A state judge agreed, ruling that Krommidas is legally missing and therefore remains the rightful nominee.

Ballot creates unprecedented race

The unusual case has left Long Beach voters facing a surreal decision — choosing between an incumbent and a candidate who vanished before the campaign began.

Election officials confirmed that ballots listing Krommidas will move forward as printed.

If he were to win, the seat would be declared vacant, prompting a special election.

A quiet beach disappearance has now turned into one of Long Island’s strangest political stories.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

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