Laird-White Topples Kavesh; Dems Rule Nyack Board

In a mayoral race set against , a looming and more than one instance of , challenger Jen Laird-White came out on top.

The Democratic candidate and current village trustee defeated sitting mayor Richard Kavesh, securing just over 62 percent of the village's vote and locking down a two-year term.

In total, 1,404 Nyackers came out to the polls—Laird-White wrangled 877 votes, and Kavesh 525. There were two write-ins.

"I'm extremely happy," Laird-White said Wednesday morning while out with her family clearing election placards. She was at her home last night when she heard the news.

Looking ahead, Laird-White said there are a number of major village issues she plans to tackle. "Flooding is important to solve," she said. "Empty storefronts, noise, a bad parking reputation—we have quite a few things to solve."

Laird-White and Kavesh met in the , when she booted him off the Democratic ticket and later . Kavesh ran this Election Day under the Independence, Working Families and Preserve Nyack banners.

Their battle to helm Nyack in times of economic uncertainty was defined primarily by the Superblock project, a plan to remake Nyack's downtown. Laird-White supports a larger overhaul—complete with new commerical, residential and public space—while Kavesh favors a more conservative approach.

The two also made headlines when , a move she said left her "stunned and frustrated."

Down the road, Laird-White's decision to rent space on the Riverspace marquee—a towering sign in the heart of downtown that belongs to a non-profit organization—raised the ire of Kavesh and a number of voters. The political message was later taken down, but not after Patch readers weighed in; 84 percent said it was an .

Wednesday morning, Kavesh weighed in on the change-up, and described the path he hopes Nyack takes over the coming years. "We need to maintain fiscal integrity and responsibility, and modernize infrastructure," he said. Kavesh also noted a smaller alternative to the Superblock overhaul is a must.

His biggest coup while in office, Kavesh said, was transparency and responsiveness. "People now have a government they can rely on and count on," he said.

Nyack trustees win unopposed

The two Nyackers—both Democrats—running for trustee positions won unopposed, brining a sweeping Democratic majority to the village board. Returning trustee Doug Foster had 1,014 votes to his name, and new trustee Marie Lorenzini had 1,000. There were 16 write-ins.

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