Voters in Nassau County will head to the polls today for a special election to fill a vacant legislative seat.

Republican Pepitz Blanchard is taking on Democrat Siela Bynoe for Nassau's 2nd Legislative District. The seat was vacated by Robert Troiano, a Democrat who resigned to take a position with the Town of North Hempstead.

Blanchard says if elected, his first priority will be to work with the Legislature's Republican majority on overhauling the tax assessment system to keep taxes low.

"I want to make a difference for everyone in the district," Blanchard says. "The taxes keep going up. School taxes are really crazy over here, and the school district is not that good."

As the executive director of the Huntington Housing Authority, Siela Bynoe says she has a passion for public service, plus years of experience in government and fiscal management. She says she's ready to work on job creation and see that residents' tax dollars are being spent wisely.

Bynoe says another important issue for her is public safety. "I would like to work in certain areas of the district to ensure we have effective policing in place, and overall that our residents feel safe," she says.

Blanchard says he knows he's the underdog in the race, as there are four times as many registered Democrats as Republicans in the district. In the history of the Legislature, the district has never elected a Republican.

Voters can go to their normal polling places between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. to cast their ballots.