Petros Krommidas, a 29-year-old former Ivy-League rower, was recently reported missing. He disappeared during a training swim for a triathlon off Long Beach on Long Island, where he was a candidate for the Nassau County legislature. Krommidas’s phone, keys and clothes were located discarded on the beach. This discovery ignited a worldwide search but has not yielded a definitive answer to date. His case, handled by state judge Gary Knobel, received national attention after Knobel’s recent decision. As the investigation into his possible disappearance continues, Krommidas’s name will remain on the November election ballot.
Krommidas’s family advocates on his behalf, including the sister, now a candidate herself. Maria Krommidas, his mother, gave her wish to voters. She implored them not to vote for her son if he wasn’t living anymore. Elena-Lemonia Krommidas shed tears as she reminisced lovingly about her brother. She painted a portrait of him as a proud first-generation American who loved this country and fought for civil rights, education and togetherness.
The employee’s disappearance has raised questions about the appropriateness of his continued candidacy. To see all the community voices concerned about the possible impact of Krommidas’s name being on the ballot still. As Maude Carione told then it’s crazy to keep his name on the ballot. She warned that this shift would “confuse voters.” She really focused on fairness as key. She made the case, “In all fairness, you have to give another candidate a chance for the Democrats, you have to.”
Despite these concerns, Judge Knobel ruled that Krommidas’s “missing person” status does not constitute a vacancy that could be filled. This surprising decision comes after the Democratic party of Krommidas’s Democratic party started looking to replace him with a new candidate after his sudden disappearance. They encountered difficulties and eventually made the decision to go ahead, allowing his name to remain on the ballot.
Shibin’s family, like Krommidas’s, are still reeling from their loss. They plead to their fellow residents to pay tribute to him by electing him posthumously into office in the May election. In a series of recent Facebook posts, they urged fellow community members to “honor and vote” for Krommidas. Supporter James Hodge, of the National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development, expressed this notion, claiming, “We must hold fast and respect his name and legacy.”
Petros Krommidas’s disappearance continues to be an active search, as missing person flyers remain plastered around Long Beach. The edges of these flyers are frayed and the colors are faded from time. Even so, they continue to hang on as telephone poles across the region. The community has rallied around Krommidas to show their support, in hopes of bringing her home. Most residents understand that he is lost and are in the process of looking for him.
Concerns over Krommidas’s arrest have led to growing public outrage, including an emotional angle related to the incident. This line from Ellen Lederer-DeFrancesco reveals what many voters feel like right now. She is passionate about the idea that as much as we need to know how to play the political game, we need to retain our humanity.
With the election fast approaching, American voters have a tough choice ahead of them. I’m voting for the human that’s alive,” Regina Pecorella said resolutely. Yet it was one of Krommidas’s supporters who best encapsulated the mixed feelings about his candidacy.
The story is still in development with the investigation into Petros Krommidas’s disappearance and the election playing out. Regardless of the outcome this election cycle, Krommidas will continue to be an unusual presence on any campaign street. His fate is unknown, but for now, he remains a testament to the staying power of democratic engagement in Nassau County.