The Biggest Stories About Yonkers Politics in 2023

Yonkers politics in 2023 have made this year busy. Lots of political events have happened. These events have changed our city. They have also touched our hearts. We have seen unexpected election results and important campaign choices. Yonkers has experienced a lot this year. Are you into politics or just want to know what is happening in your city? Either way, these political news stories are interesting. They show us how our local government works.

2023 Yonkers Election Results

The 2023 Yonkers elections were full of surprises and important moments. The Yonkers Ledger published some unofficial results which are given below:

• Mayor of Yonkers: Mayor Mike Spano (Democrat) is set to win. He got 61% of the votes. His main opponent, Anthony Merante (Republican, Restore Term Limits), got 36%. Allison Abramson (Working Families Party) received 3%.
• City Council District 1: Deana Robinson (Democrat) won with 83% of the votes. Shatika Parker (Working Families Party) got 17%.
• City Council District 3: Tasha Diaz (Democrat), the Majority Leader, is expected to win. She got 81% of the votes. Hector Santiago (Working Families Party) received 19%.
• City Council District 5: Mike Breen (Republican, Conservative) won with 100% of the votes. His challenger, Ron Schutte, had a small write-in campaign but got 0%.
• County Legislator District 14: Jose Alvarado (Democrat, Working Families Party) won with 76% of the votes. His opponent, Jose Diaz (Republican, Conservative), got 24%.
• County Legislator District 15: James Nolan (Republican, Conservative) won with 53% of the votes. Ruth Walter (Democrat, Working Families Party) got 47%.
• County Legislator District 16: Shanae Williams (Democrat) won with 57% of the votes. Debbie Kozak (Republican, Conservative) got 37%, and Christopher Johnson (Working Families Party) received 6%.
• County Legislator District 17: David Tubiolo (Democrat, Working Families Party) ran unopposed and won with 100% of the votes.
• City Court Judge: Arthur Doran III (Democrat, Conservative) and Karen Beltran (Democrat, Conservative) secured victories. Nicholas Speranza (Republican) got 26%.
• Propositions: Two propositions were approved. The removal of small city school districts from special constitutional debt limitation got 64%. Extending sewage project debt exclusion from debt limit received 71%.

These results show how Yonkers voted in 2023. They reflect the choices of our community for our city’s future.

Westchester Board Leader Shares Suspected Election Crime Photo

In a surprising turn of events, Jose Alvarado, the Westchester Legislator of the 17th district, posted a photo that could be a legal issue. On November 2, he shared a photo on Facebook. It showed him voting. The first photo showed him marking his ballot. The second showed him using a ballot machine.

In New York, showing your ballot to others can be a crime. It is against the law to show your ballot after you have filled it out. Alvarado’s photo might have broken this law. The person who took the photo is unknown. Some people say this law limits free speech. But, a judge ruled in 2017 that the law is okay. It doesn’t break the First Amendment.

Alvarado or his team seemed to realize the mistake. They removed the photo from Facebook about an hour later. The photo was also on Instagram but was removed later. The Yonkers GOP reacted to this. They said what Alvarado did was illegal. They want the District Attorney to charge him.

Michael Gerald Halts Campaign in NY-16 Race

Michael Gerald, a Democratic candidate, made a surprising move. He paused his campaign for the 16th Congressional District seat. He is waiting to see if George Latimer, the Westchester County Executive, will run. The 16th district is big. It includes Yonkers, White Plains, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle. It also covers parts of the Bronx. It is home to over 750,000 people. It is diverse and politically important.

Jamaal Bowman currently represents this district. He won the seat in 2020. He beat Eliot Engel, a long-time politician. Bowman defended his seat easily after that. But, not everyone agrees with Bowman’s views. Gerald announced his run against Bowman earlier this year. But now, he is pausing his campaign. He admires George Latimer. He thinks Latimer would be a great candidate for Congress. If Latimer runs, Gerald will step back. If not, Gerald will continue his campaign.

Bowman has a different view on the Israel conflict than many in his party. He wants a ceasefire. He focuses on peace and humanity. This view has brought him both attention and criticism. Gerald also criticizes Bowman’s stance. He thinks Latimer would be better for the district. This is because of Westchester’s large Jewish community. Latimer hasn’t decided yet if he will run. His decision will affect the Democratic primary. It will also change the political scene in the district.

Unions Endorse Mayor Spano’s Re-Election

On October 30, a big group of local unions showed their support for Mayor Mike Spano. They want him to be re-elected as the Mayor of Yonkers. Twelve big unions were there. This included Teamsters Local 456, PBA, CLSA, and others. These unions like what Mayor Spano has done. They think he is good at growing the economy, improving schools, and keeping people safe. They believe he is the right person to keep Yonkers moving forward.

Mayor Spano was thankful for their support. He said he is honored. He talked about working together with the unions. He wants to make Yonkers even better for everyone. The election is on November 7. The support of these unions is very important for Spano. His opponent, Anthony Merante, also tried to get support from unions. Merante is running with a new idea called “Restore Term Limits”. He started this after Mayor Spano changed the law to stay in office longer.

It is not clear if union workers will like Merante’s idea. Usually, unions support people who are already in office. They think this helps them in talks about their jobs. But not every union in Yonkers is happy with the current Mayor. Still, everyone in Yonkers, union member or not, should vote. It is important to be part of choosing our leaders.

Yonkers Residents Rally for Middle East Ceasefire

On a recent Friday, people from Yonkers came together for peace. They met at the War Memorial at Yonkers City Hall. Their goal is to ask for an immediate end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip. They want peace in that area. People from different backgrounds joined the rally. Muslims, Jews, and Christians were all there. They all want the same thing that is peace. The group was sad about the lives lost in the conflict. They were tired of the ongoing violence.

Congressman Jamaal Bowman spoke to the crowd. He is known for caring about human rights. Bowman condemned the attacks by Hamas. He called them “horrific”. He also talked about Israel. He said some groups think Israel is not treating people fairly. Bowman wants more talks about this. Michael Khader, a former leader in Yonkers, also spoke. He was the first Jordanian American in his position. He, like many others, supports peace in the Middle East.

Hector Santiago from the Yonkers Human Rights Commission was there too. He noticed that no current city officials were at the rally. The organizers said this won’t be their last rally. They will keep asking for peace until it happens. This rally shows that people from different places can come together. They all want to stop the violence in Israel and Palestine. They want change.

Mayoral Hopeful Merante Cautioned on Government Property Campaigning

Anthony Merante, a Yonkers City Council member and mayoral candidate, got into trouble recently. On October 26, early in the morning, he was caught on camera. He and his aide were at the Nepperhan Avenue DPW facility. They were giving out political flyers and cookies to city workers. The flyers were from his campaign. They were trying to show he supports unions.

But there is a problem. Campaigning on city property is not allowed. The city’s law department sent Merante a cease-and-desist letter. It said electioneering on city property is against the rules. Merante responded to this warning. He said he was just thanking the workers. He also mentioned giving them cookies. He said he was responding to false claims about his views on unions. Merante criticized Mayor Spano’s administration. He talked about corruption and favoritism. He promised to stop campaigning on city property.

This incident shows the tension in the Yonkers mayoral race. Mayor Spano is busy with his campaign. Merante is trying hard to win votes. The election is close. Everyone is hoping for calm as the voting day approaches.

Conclusion

2023 in Yonkers politics has been full of big moments. Looking ahead, we’ll remember these stories. All these stories show Yonkers politics is lively and diverse. It is about hard work, surprises, and caring for our community. They remind us politics is about more than just votes. It is about people, decisions, and the future we make. Let’s keep paying attention and taking part. What happens in Yonkers is up to all of us.