Q & A: Nasrin Ahmad, Hempstead Town Clerk

Nasrin G. Ahmad is this year's Republican Party candidate for the position of Town of Hempstead Clerk. 

Ahmad was appointed to the post in September following the vacancy left by Mark Bonilla, who was found guilty of official misconduct and removed from his post in August.

Ahmad joined Hempstead Town Clerk’s Office in 1998. Since 2009, she has served as an administrator in the Clerk's Office, overseeing operations in the marriage section and other divisions within the office.

Ahmad is running against Jasmine Garcia-Vieux, the Democratic Party  candidate.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, November 5. Residents can find their polling locations at the board of elections website and absentee ballots can also be found online here. 

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was born in 1957. I live in Salisbury with my husband, Naeem Ahmad. I'm a resident of Salisbury for 29 years, where my husband and I raised three children.    

Q: Why are you running for this position? 

I am running for the position of Town Clerk to provide excellent municipal services to residents in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Q: What qualifies you to serve in the position?  

I have worked in the Hempstead Town Clerk's Office for 15 years, gaining valuable experience and expertise as I have advanced to positions of greater responsibility.  From administering Town Board meetings and overseeing Marriage Division operations to ensuring that applications to the Town Board are thorough and complete, I have been a key manager in areas of critical importance.  

My current work has focused on mobile and Internet operations, bringing more services to local communities, and making our office more accessible.

Q: What TOH services are most important to the district? 

All of the Town Clerk's services are truly important as we are the issuer and keeper of important records such as official birth, marriage and death documents, in addition to various licenses (hunting, taxicab, etc.).

What's more the administration and record keeping of Town Board meetings is essential to ensuring that proper and legitimate proceedings are documented in support of town legislation, government policies and other legislative decisions.  

Finally, as the source of historical documents, my office plays a vital role for researchers, historians and future generations of governmental policymakers and legislators.

Q: What do you think is the biggest issue facing the Town?

I believe that the biggest issue facing our government is the challenge to continue offering top-quality services at the lowest cost. By holding managers, officials and policymakers accountable, we can preserve services while controlling costs.  

Our government has actually reduced budgeted staffing levels over the past ten years, offering annual savings of over $4 million.  

Q: If you are elected, what is the one thing you’d like to see accomplished during your term? 

I have key goals to accomplish if I am successful on Election Day. Among the most important is the expansion of Internet and mobile services, making the Clerk's Office more conveniently accessible to residents. The enhancement of other important programs such as the Child Safety Identification Program are also on the top of my priority list.