Primary Primer: Your Vote Could Be the Difference

Primary elections are historically close, and local politicians have been posturing for party lines and campaigning their positions with the knowledge that a small pocket of votes can make all the difference in Tuesday's primary elections.

Important races include a primary for the Independence Party line for mayor/supervisor, in which current Mayor/Supervisor Joan Walsh hopes to overcome a write-in campaign from challenger Ron Belmont.

Walsh has already accepted the Democratic endorsement, Belmont has taken the Republican and Conservative lines. Both told Patch that party lines are an important party of capturing the general election.

“Since the supervisor/mayor usually wins by a small margin, it’s important,” Walsh said. “The elections are very close.”

“If I can win the primary it would be wonderful, it’s been a long battle,” Belmont said. “Hopefully the Independence voters will come out and realize that I’m a true Independent.”

Walsh will be the only candidate to appear on the ballot Tuesday, but Belmont won an appeal to be considered as a write-in candidate and has been campaigning for the party line in the weeks leading up to the election.

Another race to watch is between current Port Chester Trustee Daniel Brakewood and Harrison businessman Mark Jaffe.

Both men seek the Democratic nomination for the District 6 county legislator seat, which will be vacated later this year when long-time County Legislator Marty Rogowsky retires after 13 years.

The district encompasses Port Chester, Rye Brook and Harrison and includes some 55,000 constituents.

Jaffe, of West Harrison, is the CEO of the Greater NY Chamber of Commerce; Brakewood has served for five years on the Port Chester Board of Trustees.

Jaffe has touted his business experience while running on issues like job creation and improved local education services. Brakewood points to his experience as an elected official, and says he wants to help reduce political bickering at the county level while finding more efficient ways to deliver essential services.

The Independence and Conservative lines are also both up for grabs between the candidates for Harrison's town/village justice. Nelson E. Canter, Mark J. Lust and Ronald B. Bianchi will run for two endorsements from the Independence line. Canter, Lust, Bianchi and Pasquale G. Gizzo will seek the Conservative line’s two endorsements.

In the general election voters will select two of the four justice candidates. Bianchi and Lust are incumbents. 

Polls will remain open in Harrison until 9 p.m. Tuesday night.

Nik Bonopartis contributed to this report.