By a margin of 45 votes, Sheila Marcotte, Westchester County Legislator from District 10, has won her first full-term on the County Board of Legislators. Marcotte won a special election in June 2010 after former County Legislator Vito Pinto was tapped by Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino for the position of head of the Veterans Service Agency and the Office of Drug Prevention and Stop-DWI.
“There are so many people to thank, but first and foremost, many thanks to all of you who participated in the process and voted on November 8, 2011”, said Marcotte.
The last official tally posted to the Westchester County of Board of Elections web site shows 8,687 votes cast with Marcotte defeating John Fitzpatrick by a merging of 4363 and 4324. Those numbers will change after a count held on Saturday November 19th at Board of Elections headquarters in White Plains.
The Westchester County Board of Elections impounded ballot boxes in New Rochelle and Eastchester after equipment problems were reported. The ballots were counted along with all affidavits, emergency ballots and absentee ballots.
Marcotte will officially be certified the winner once the requirements of the Help America Vote Act have been met.
“I am humbled by the overwhelming support that I have received over the past 5 months and I look forward to continuing to serve District 10 for the next 2 years.” she said.
When Republican Rob Astorino took office in 2010 on a platform of reducing the size of County government and lowering taxes he was faced with a 13-4 Democratic majority on the 17-member Westchester County Board of Legislators giving Democratic leader Ken Jenkins the ability to sustain a veto by party line vote. The result has been Democrats repeatedly fending off Astorino’s initiative to lower spending and reduce headcount.
The victory by Marcotte in District 10 coupled with Republican victories in District 6 (Rye Brook, Port Chester, Harrison) by David Gelfarb and District 3 (North Castle) by Michael Smith over incumbent John Nonna gives the GOP 7 votes, more than enough to sustain an Astorino veto. The result is a significant strengthening of Astorino’s hand in dealing with the Democrats forcing the Democrats to come to the table to negotiate with Astorino and County Board Minority Leader James Maisano.
“Sheila is a hard worker and tremendous asset on the County Board of Legislator,” said Minority Leader Jim Maisano, “I am pleased to have her back at my side over the next two years.”
Maisano expects budget discussions this year to be very different from the last two years.