Former Mount Vernon Planning Commissioner Shawyn Patterson-Howard (SPH) emerges victoriously in the 2019 Democratic Primary for Mount Vernon Mayor, Tuesday night.
In a hotly-contested race where it was 96 degrees in the shade, full of fake robocalls, letters, email blasts, and Facebook posts, accusations and frivolous attacks amongst the candidates and their supporters, SPH is one step closer to officially become the first female elected to serve as Mayor of Mount Vernon. In addition to Councilwomen Janice Duarte and Delia M. Farquharson up next, to serve as City Council President, SPH’s historic win could give the city it’s all-female Board of Estimates (Mayor, Council President, and Comptroller)
According to unofficial results from the Westchester Board of Elections, with all districts reporting, Patterson-Howard had 2,355votes (33 percent) to Mayor Richard W. Thomas’ 2,151 votes (30 percent), a margin of 204 votes, with former police commissioner Clyde Isley and City Council President Andre Wallace trailing by a wide margin. Thomas surprised many that he came in second and got 30% of the vote with his corruption case pending. However, Mayor Thomas has yet to concede and Black Westchester has been told the mayor – whose corruption trial starts July 8th – may be requesting a recount.
While SPH will face a Conservative Party challenge in the General Election in November, in the heavily Democratic city of Mount Vernon SPH’s primary win should allow her to ease on down the yellow brick road to officially become the city’s first female Mayor.
In the City Council race incumbent, Councilwoman Lisa A. Copeland who got 2,675 votes was the top vote-getter overall in the second consecutive Democratic Primary. The second council seat will be filled by Derrick Thompson who got 2,035 votes.
The 2018 Midterm elections showed us it was the year of the woman and this Democratic Primary showed Girls Are Still Rocking in 2019!
Black Westchester congratulates Shawyn Patterson-Howard for making history, Councilwoman Lisa A. Copeland for being the top vote-getter again and Derrick Thompson!
