2026 is a mayoral election year for the Incorporated Village of Ocean Beach. With seven candidates vying for four seats on the Ocean Beach Village Board, this is one of the more competitive races in recent memory. The election is scheduled for June 5 at the Ocean Beach Community House from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
James S. Mallott — Mayor
Incumbent Mayor James S. Mallott is seeking another four-year term as leader of the Village of Ocean Beach, continuing a tenure that began in 2010 after 16 years as a village trustee. Mallott enters the race as the village’s longest-serving current elected official and faces a challenge from Village Trustee Ian Levine. In recent election cycles, Mallott ran without opposition, but this year’s contest marks one of the village’s more competitive mayoral races. Throughout his administration, Mallott has overseen municipal infrastructure projects, seasonal public safety coordination, and recovery efforts following coastal storms affecting Fire Island communities. His campaign has emphasized continuity in village government and experience managing long-term projects and operations. Mallott participated in the Ocean Beach Association’s annual winter meeting on March 24, where candidates discussed issues facing the village ahead of the June election. During the forum, he highlighted his decades of experience in village government and his record of overseeing municipal operations.
Ian Levine — Candidate for Mayor
Village Trustee Ian Levine is challenging incumbent Mallott for the village’s top elected office. Levine currently serves on the Ocean Beach Board of Trustees and has longstanding ties to emergency services on Fire Island. A firefighter and EMT, he previously served as chief of the Ocean Beach Fire Department. He is also affiliated with the Community Garden and Gift Centers in Ocean Beach. Levine’s campaign has focused on government communication, efficiency, and financial accountability. During the Ocean Beach Association’s March 24 candidate meeting, Levine said he believes the village is ready for new leadership and pledged to improve communication between the village government and residents. He also discussed efforts to curb tax increases, improve efficiency in village operations, and pursue accountability for financial matters identified in a 2022 New York State audit. Levine’s candidacy presents voters with a contrast between longtime village leadership and a trustee seeking to move into the mayor’s office. If elected, Levine would succeed Mallott after more than a decade and a half of uninterrupted leadership at Village Hall.
Dawn L. Hargraves — Trustee Candidate
Deputy Mayor Dawn L. Hargraves is seeking reelection to another four-year term on the Ocean Beach Board of Trustees. Hargraves, an attorney in private practice in Suffolk County, currently serves as both deputy mayor and village trustee. She was appointed deputy mayor in 2025 and is part of the current village administration led by Mallott. In this year’s election, Hargraves is competing with incumbent Trustee Marco Arment and challenger Andrew Hemingway for two available trustee seats. At the Ocean Beach Association’s March 24 winter meeting, Hargraves discussed her work in village government and emphasized her involvement in municipal affairs and community issues. As the longest-serving trustee (elected in 2018), Hargraves has been involved in decisions on village operations, public services, and seasonal issues affecting residents and visitors in Ocean Beach.
Marco Arment — Trustee Candidate
Incumbent Village Trustee Marco Arment is seeking a second term on the Ocean Beach Board of Trustees. Arment, a software designer and co-owner of the Albatross restaurant in Ocean Beach, was first elected to the board in 2022. Since joining the board, he has focused on expanding public access to village information and supporting environmental initiatives. During his first term, he worked to expand public access to trustee meetings through livestreaming and to advance environmental protections and commercial signage regulations.
Andrew Hemingway — Trustee Candidate
Andrew Hemingway is seeking election to the Ocean Beach Board of Trustees as a challenger in the 2026 village election. He is the only non-incumbent candidate in the trustee contest, competing against incumbent trustees Hargraves and Arment for two available trustee seats. At the Ocean Beach Association’s March 24 candidate meeting, Hemingway said his campaign is not about removing current officeholders but about bringing additional ideas and perspectives to village government. Hemingway acknowledged the current trustees’ work while positioning himself as another voice for residents interested in participating in local decision-making.
William D. Wexler — Village Justice Candidate
Wexler has served as Ocean Beach Village Justice for approximately 27 years and has frequently run unopposed in past elections. This year, he faces a challenge from attorney Ali Marin Mitchell. As Village Justice, Wexler oversees local ordinance matters and municipal court proceedings in Ocean Beach. At the Ocean Beach Association’s March 24 meeting, Wexler highlighted a community service initiative developed during his tenure. According to statements at the meeting, the program has resulted in approximately 1,500 hours of community service in the village. Wexler’s long tenure makes him one of the village’s most experienced elected officials. His reelection campaign emphasizes continuity and experience within the village court system.
Ali Marin Mitchell — Village Justice Candidate
Attorney Ali Marin Mitchell is challenging incumbent Wexler in the 2026 Ocean Beach election. Marin Mitchell is a fourth-generation Ocean Beach resident and has practiced law for about 30 years. She is also a former member of the Ocean Beach Community Fund board. Her candidacy creates a contested race for Village Justice after several election cycles in which Wexler ran unopposed. Marin Mitchell’s campaign introduces a new candidate to village judicial politics and emphasizes her longstanding ties to the Ocean Beach community and her professional legal background.
The Ocean Beach Village election is scheduled for June 5 at the Ocean Beach Community House from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Please contact the Ocean Beach Village office for voter registration information.
