By Dan Murphy
More Americans turned out for the election of 2020 than ever before, and Westchester voters were no exeption to the enthusiasm. In 2016, more than 400,000 Westchester voters cast a ballot for President. So far more than 152,810 Westchester voters have cast their ballot through early voting and by absentee ballot. Usually, we have results for our readers based on the totals election night, but with so many absentee ballots yet to be counted, we can’t report on the few local races that are close, because those same absentee ballots will likely tip the balance.
County Executive George Latimer commented on “An amazing turnout of Westchester residents – 152,810 – voting early in 17 locations over 9 days. Top five finish in the state, far better than last year and over 36% of the total vote in the 2016 Presidential Race.“Among the biggest Counties in the State outside of NYC, we were third In total votes – ahead of Suffolk for example, which has many more people. As a % of total registered voters, we were 2nd among all the other large counties including NYC.
“Credit the BoE for extending hours and adding resources to help handle the tremendous demand to vote. Well done. It was shaky in the beginning… but in fairness things got a lot better quickly thereafter. I visited six of the voting sites to distribute free surgical masks: Greenburgh, New Rochelle, East Yonkers, Mt. Vernon, Mamaroneck and Harrison; earlier during the week I stopped by Dobbs Ferry, Somers, Pound Ridge and Ossining.
“I saw in the pouring rain, people huddled under umbrellas against the wind, waiting, waiting to vote. What it all means won’t be clear for a few days… but in conversation, people asserted how intent they were in voting this year. Large numbers, deeply committed to voting. Bravo to those as well who gave out free water, sandwiches, soup. An election like no other in my lifetime. And more drama is yet to come,” wrote Latimer.
What we can report on is that Westchester County voters now have two new members of Congress. In the 17th District, (mid-northern westchester and rockland county) Mondaire Jones easily won election after winning the democratic primary in June. Jones defeated four opponents on Nov. 3, republican Maureen McArdle Schulman, conservative Yehudis Gottesfeld,
Joshua Eisen (ECL Party), and Michael Parietti, SAM.
And in the 16th Congressional district, (mid-lower westchester and the bronx) Jamaal Bowman easily won election after winning the democratic primary June 23. Jones will replace Nita Lowey in January, while Bowman replaces Eliot Engel.
Mimi Rocah was also electeed to become Westchester’s next District Attorney in 2021. And State Senator Shelley Mayer also won her re-election to serve in the 37th District.
While absentee ballots are still being counted, Rob Astorino holds a lead over State Senator Peter Harckham and Sheila Marcotte holds a significant lead over Tara Conte for Eastchester Town Board.
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