VOL Election: Volume Down On Voting & Partisanship

by Judy Silberstein

(March 22, 2007) Voter turnout was light in the Village of Larchmont on Tuesday, March 20, as is typical in an uncontested election. This year only the Democrats fielded candidates (see: VOL Dems Tap McAndrews, Ward & Bernstein; No GOP Action.)

Winning re-election was Justice Jerry Bernstein, for a fourth 4-year term, and Trustee Anne McAndrews, who will start her fourth term. (She won in 2001, ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2002; and returned as trustee in 2003.) Also elected to a first trustee term was Richard Ward, a corporate and investment banker.

There were only 204 votes cast this year, representing only 5% of the 3779 registered voters in Larchmont Village. Ms. McAndrews received 204, Mr. Ward 196 and Mr. Bernstein 192.

The vote total is even lower than in 2005, when 7% of the voters showed up for that uncontested election. By comparison, almost 2000 voters showed up last year when there was a hot mayoral race and challengers for both trustee spots.

It is unclear whether voter turnout was impacted by a decision to consolidate all voting in one location, the Larchmont Center behind the Larchmont Public Library. In the past, voters in half of the districts voted at Chatsworth Avenue School.

Mayor Feld said the Larchmont Board will be revisiting the issue and deciding whether to continue in one spot or revert to the previous system. “Some of us were a little nervous about it,” she said.

Going Forward

As she accepted applause on her re-election, Trustee McAndrews noted some of the items she hopes to complete or take on in her next term. These include a planned renovation in the Palmer Avenue business district and work on the Addison Street parking lot.

She repeated her call for a Village administrator to help manage Larchmont’s aging infrastructure. She said she will also continue to lobby for a four-year term of office for trustees, an announcement greeted with loud groans from her colleagues.

“Now you see the difficulty,” she replied. “The present two-year term means we have an election every year in this small Village, which can be a burden on all.”

Mr. Ward thanked his family and supporters. He welcomed residents with issues or ideas to give him a call at home.

Previously, each board member, in turn, had offered a kind word and a bit of teasing for Trustee Mike Wiener on his last day of office. Official proclamations from Mayor Feld and Westchester Legislator Judy Myers outlined his 5 years of service on the board, preceded by decades as a volunteer firefighter and a stint as chief of the Larchmont Fire Department among other service.

Where Are the Republicans?

With the departure of Mr. Wiener there is no one left on the board elected as a Republican. Anne McAndrews, Marlene Kolbert and Jim Millstein are all registered Democrats, nominated and elected as Democrats. Richard Ward, was formerly a Republican, but was nominated by the Democrats.

Mayor Feld is a registered Republican, but she did not receive her party’s nomination last year. She joined a coalition slate that included Ms. Kolbert and Mr. Millstein and went on to defeat the Republican candidate, incumbent Mayor Ken Bialo. (See: Feld-Kolbert-Millstein Coalition Sweeps Village Election.)

Reflecting on the lack of partisan rancor on the board, Trustee Marlene Kolbert said, “It really has been a wonderful year - the atmosphere, the work ethic has been wonderful. We all respect each other. ” She gave the mayor high marks for her leadership.

“I feel great about the board,” said Mayor Feld following the vote announcement. “I couldn’t feel more confident as we go into the new year with the board that we have.

“It hasn’t always been this way, but in the past year, there has been no partisanship in our voting or our work,” said Mayor Feld.

“I really mean that,” she stressed. “Elected official in Washington and Albany could take a page from our little village.

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