Westchester County, NY – On Tuesday, May 19, voters in 53 school districts in the Lower Hudson Valley braved near 100-degree heat to elect Board of Education members and request budget approvals for 2026–2027. Voting in school districts is different from other elections in several significant ways. For starters, polling places are frequently found in schools, and voting times may vary.
The big news of the Lower Hudson Valley School Board Election is that Mount Vernon voters said no to the $276.2 million Mount Vernon schools budget…
Mount Vernon City School District (MVCSD) Budget Vote and School Board Election Results:
The Mount Vernon community did not support the $276.2 million 2026-2027 school year budget and an increase of 1.99 percent in the tax levy, with an unofficial vote of 768-887. Since the budget was not approved, the District must put a revised or identical budget up for a revote. The statewide uniform budget revote day, if the board chooses to put it to another public vote, is typically the third Tuesday in June, which in this case would be Tuesday, June 16, 2026. If voters reject the budget a second time—or if the school board decides to skip a revote entirely—the district must adopt a contingency budget, according to the New York State School Board Association.
“Tonight, the Mount Vernon community did not support the $276.2 million 2026-2027 school year budget with an unofficial vote of 768-887,” Demario Strickland, Superintendent of Schools, said in a statement. “We will carefully consider our options and announce the next steps in the upcoming days. The proposed budget was developed with the goal of maintaining academic and extracurricular initiatives such as athletics, as well as hiring additional math teachers and making enhancements to bilingual education and world languages. We will continue our work towards improving the Mount Vernon City School District and providing a valuable education.”
Voters elected three members to the Board of Education. Dr. Carleen Evans (867 votes), Steven Vasquez (838 votes), and Dr. Lynne Middleton (825 votes) will begin three-year terms on July 1st
Voters also elected Jonathan Michael Davis, for one (1) available seat on the MVPL Board of Trustees to serve one (1) five (5) year term beginning on the first day of July 2026 and expiring on the thirtieth (30th) day of June 2031
Here are some of the other school districts’ unofficial results (keep checking back, we will update as results come in). Any Westchester School Districts that want to share their results to be added, email us at BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com
New Rochelle City School District Voters Approve School Budget And Two Bond Propositions
With an official vote of 1860 to 750, New Rochelle voters adopted the City School District of New Rochelle budget for the 2026–2027 school year. The $370.4 million budget, which was approved with a 71% majority, contains a 1.85% rise in taxes.
Additionally, a $35 million bond proposal for district-wide safety and maintenance capital improvements was approved by the community with a 71% majority. HVAC upgrades, public address system modifications, and boiler replacements are among the projects.
Voters also elected Carmen Perez to a five-year term on the Board of Education, and Roshanie Ross was re-elected to a second five-year term.
Voters also approved the Library’s budget and $55 million bond referendum. The bond will support a comprehensive, multi-year revitalization of the Library, including critical infrastructure upgrades to heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as improvements to public spaces throughout the building. The project is designed to ensure the Library remains welcoming, accessible, and responsive to the needs of a growing and evolving community.
White Plains Community Approves 2026-27 School Year Budget
The White Plains community approved the White Plains City School District’s $284,932,300 budget for the 2026-27 school year during Tuesday’s annual budget vote and Board of Education election. Voters approved the spending plan by a vote of 838-81, which will be certified during a public Board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
In the uncontested Board of Education election, Board President Rosemarie Eller and Valerie Daniele were elected to three-year terms beginning July 1, 2026. Both incumbents were listed as candidates for the two available seats.
Pelham Voters Pass $98.3 Million School Budget, Re-elect Annemarie Garcia and Sid Burke to Board of Ed
Pelham voters approved the school district’s $98.3 million budget and re-elected Annemarie Garcia and Sid Burke to the Board of Education, according to results counted at the Middle School gym Tuesday evening.
The district’s $98.3 million budget represents an increase of 2.05 percent over last year’s budget, and an increase of 3.72 percent in the tax levy, the maximum allowed by the state’s tax cap. If the tax rate had exceeded the cap, it would have required approval from 60 percent of the voters.
While the budget vote was lopsided, the contest for the two openings on the Board of Education was closer.
Garcia collected the most votes, with 708, followed by Burke at 674. Lisa Martino Alves, principal of Hendrick Hudson High School, came in third with 591, in her bid to unseat one of the two incumbents.
Peekskill Budget Vote and Board Election Results
Peekskill City School District’s official Budget Vote and Board Election results are as follows:
Proposition #1 – Budget:
Yes – 319 (88%)
No – 45 (12%)
Total voting on Proposition 1 – 364
Branwen MacDonald (ELECTED) – 317
Hilda Kinga Portik Gumbs (ELECTED) – 62
Somers Central School District Budget Vote & Board Election Results
Voters in the Somers Central School District went to the polls on Tuesday, May 19, to pass the 2026-2027 budget of $116,007,313 and fill a pair of trustee seats on the Board of Education.
The spending plan was approved by a vote of 937 to 410. It represents a 2.23 percent increase over the current spending plan of $113,477,113.
The elections were uncontested. Returned to the board with 881 votes was trustee Patrick Varbero. Elected with 1036 votes was newcomer Tessa O’Connell, according to unofficial results.
Katonah-Lewisboro School District Budget Passes, LES Proposition Defeated
Katonah-Lewisboro School District voters gave their approval to the district’s $131.8 million budget for 2026-27 and an associated spending question in the May 19 balloting. But a proposed bond to renovate the former Lewisboro Elementary School was defeated by just two dozen votes, 1,431 to 1,407.
Voters also returned incumbents Lorraine Gallagher and Bill Swertfager to three-year seats on the school board Tuesday and chose Stacy Isaacson to finish more than two years remaining in a departed trustee’s term.
Bedford CSD voters overwhelmingly approve 2026-27 budget
Bedford Central School District voters decisively approved the district’s $165.9 million budget by a preliminary tally of 754 in favor, 271 against, according to preliminary results released by district officials shortly after the polls closed on May 19th
Voters also elected incumbent Leo Sposato and newcomer Erin Hayes – the only two candidates in this year’s contest – to the two open seats on the school board. Hayes (764) was the top vote-getter of the two, with the incumbent receiving 746.
North Salem Central School District budget passes
Voters in the North Salem Central School District went to the polls on Tuesday, May 19, to pass the 2026-2027 budget of $53,839,468 and fill a pair of trustee seats on the Board of Education.
The spending plan was approved by a vote of 311 to 145. It represents an increase of $1,461,504, or 2.79 percent, over the current $52,377,964 budget.
The elections were uncontested. Re-elected after receiving 357 votes was the board’s current vice president, Kurt Guldan. Newcomer L. Danielle Cylich was elected with 341 votes.
Lakeland voters approve budget, bus proposition
Residents cast their ballots Tuesday in the Lakeland Central School District (which spans six different towns across two counties, Yorktown, Cortlandt, and Somers in Westchester County, and Carmel, Philipstown, and Putnam Valley in Putnam County), approving the $202,072,582 budget for the 2026-27 school year and electing Keith Baisley, Amanda Franco, and James Hedberg to the Board of Education. The budget passed 1,029-604, according to preliminary results released after the initial tally on May 19.
Port Chester 2026 School Board & Budget Election Results
The Port Chester Schools 2026-2027 budget was approved by a vote of 853 to 312. The $161,311,010 proposed budget for the 2026-2027 school. includes a 2.01 percent tax levy increase and a 4.4 percent overall spending increase over the previous year.
George P. Ford, Jr. (incumbent) and Roberto Dominquez (incumbent) have been re-elected to the Board of Education.
Yorktown School budget passes
Residents cast their ballots Tuesday in the Yorktown Central School District, approving the $126,640,000 million budget for the 2026-27 school year. The budget passed 821-251. The tax levy increase is 2.38 percent. The estimated tax rate increase in Yorktown, which makes up more than 96 percent of the tax base, is 2.11 percent. New Castle and Cortlandt, each representing less than 2 percent of the tax base, are projected to see decreases of 6.90 percent and 9.98 percent, respectively.
Voters also elected Jacquelyn Guarino, Michael Magnani, and Adam MacDonald to the Board of Education. Incumbent Guarino, who was first appointed to the Board of Education in November 2025 to fill the vacancy left by Jackie Carbone’s resignation, was the top vote-getter with 855 votes. She will serve a three-year term from July 1 through June 30, 2029.
Incumbent Magnani received 821 votes, while newcomer MacDonald earned 734 votes. Magnani, the second-highest vote-getter, will serve a three-year term from July 1 through June 30, 2029. MacDonald, the third-highest vote-getter, will serve from May 20 through June 30, 2027.
Keep checking back, we will update as results come in. Any Westchester School Districts that want to share their results to be added, email us at BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com
