Voters in Suffolk County don't really have much of a choice in a handful of prominent races this Election Day.

Democratic DA Thomas Spota, Republican Treasurer Angie Carpenter and Conservative Sheriff Vincent DeMarco all carry the cross-endorsements of their opposing parties.

"Most of the time political leaders will make a cross-endorsement when they feel they have no chance to beat the person who they're cross-endorsing, and they would rather save their resources on a race that's closer," says Larry Levy, Hofstra's director of suburban studies.

Critics of cross-endorsement, like longtime Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello, say the action comes at the expense of the voter.

"We're not cross-endorsing anyone," says Mondello. "Everybody is beatable ... everybody."

In a few other cases this year, a party stopped short of endorsing the other party's candidate, but didn't nominate one of its own.