Pierce likely winner in race for District 2

Incumbent Erika Pierce (D, Working Families) has defeated Republican challenger Jozef Vala to retain her seat on the Westchester County Board of Legislators in District 2, according to unofficial results posted by the Westchester County Board of Elections.

Although some paper ballots had yet to be counted due to voting machine issues on Election Day, unofficial Board of Elections numbers showed Pierce with more than 70 percent of the vote, leading Vala 11,412 to 4,795.

Pierce had not declared victory as of 1 p.m. Wednesday, but she thanked supporters in a Facebook post and said early returns were favorable.

District 2 includes Bedford, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, North Salem, Pound Ridge and part of Somers.

Referring to Westchester County Board of Elections figures posted late Tuesday night, she said, "mail-in ballots, and the ballots that were scanned yesterday, we are looking great."

"With thousands of ballots yet to be counted however, we will wait this out," she added. "Counting begins at 11 a.m. You can follow along at the Westchester County BOE."

Pierce has represented the district since January 2022. A former high school teacher, nonprofit director and business owner, she holds degrees from Barnard College and Manhattanville University. During the campaign, she emphasized affordability, housing costs, infrastructure improvements and funding for clean drinking water and wastewater projects.

Vala brought more than 30 years of experience in sales leadership to his campaign. A former candidate for the Somers Board of Education, he has also been active in the PTA and local education initiatives. His campaign focused on fiscal responsibility, government accountability, preserving open space and protecting local control over development and other municipal decisions.