The only local question where any Town of Pelham voters have a choice this election is one about elections. In the Village of Pelham Manor, residents are voting on whether their village’s elections should shift from March to November.
The other village and town races on the ballot are not competitive.
Polls are open Tuesday, Election Day, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Village of Pelham residents vote at Daronco Town House, 20 Fifth Avenue, and Village of Pelham Manor residents at Our Lady of Perpetual Help school, 575 Fowler Ave. Early voting in New York State began on Saturday.
In the fifth year since the Village of Pelham moved its elections to November, the Democratic candidates for the village board are without Republican opponents. Incumbents Hanan Eldahry and Russell Solomon and newcomer Krystal Howell are running for two-year terms as trustees. At the Town of Pelham level, Justice John Gardner is seeking reelection to the town bench on the Democratic line and is also unopposed.
Here is the text of the Village of Pelham Manor referendum, which is Proposition 3 on Pelham Manor ballots:
“Shall the General Village Election of the Village of Pelham Manor be held annually on the Tuesday next succeeding the first Monday in November and be conducted by the Westchester County Board of Elections, with the term of office of each elected Village Officer currently holding office extended so as to terminate at noon on the first Monday in December in the year in which their term of office would otherwise expire, upon which date the term of office of any subsequently-elected Village Officer will commence?”
An abstract explaining the text can be found here on the Westchester Board of Elections website.
The proposition arrives before voters after courtroom drama this summer.
Erica Winter, co-chairwoman of the Move the Manor Village Election Committee, delivered an 801-signature petition calling for the referendum on July 1 to Pelham Manor Village Manager Lindsey Luft, who in her role as village clerk reviewed and rejected the petition four days later. Winter and Pelham Democratic Town Committee Chairwoman Allison Frost won a reversal in state court. The all-Republican Pelham Manor Board of Trustees, Luft and the Republican county election commissioner lost an appeal of that decision, and the four-judge appellate panel sent the issue to the people of the Manor to decide.
Howell, who is presumptive winner of the Village of Pelham trustee seat Kim McGreal will vacate at the end of the year, grew up in Pelham, has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and has spent 20 years working in the energy sector.
“I come from a family that has always been focused on helping others and giving back,” said Howell in an interview. Howell said she wants to work on storm resiliency, ways to support Pelham’s downtown and the creation of a portal for submission of ideas or questions by residents.
In her campaign statement, Howell said, “As a proud descendant of civil rights leader Septima Poinsette Clark, who was dubbed ‘The Mother of the Movement,’ servant leadership is woven into my DNA. I am seeking your support to continue this legacy and further enhance this great place we all call home.”
The Village of Pelham board has seven members and will remain all Democratic when this year’s candidates are confirmed elected.
One county referendum is on the ballot. Proposition 2 asks voters to change the term of office for Westchester County legislators from two years to four years.