YORKTOWN, N.Y.—Challenger Ilan Gilbert will join incumbent Sergio Esposito on the Yorktown Town Board after early voting results — reported late overnight — helped the Democrat overcome an Election Day lead held by incumbent Republican Luciana Haughwout.
Gilbert, a former supervisor and town judge, alerted Yorktown News to the discrepancy between the vote count posted in the unofficial election-night tally on the county’s website and the final number that included early voting.
While Gilbert on Wednesday morning told Yorktown News he was not ready to declare victory until he saw the final numbers, Haughwout confirmed that she was conceding.
As of 9:20 a.m. on Wednesday, the Westchester Board of Elections “results” web page still showed Haughwout ahead of Gilbert 26 to 24 percent and did include the early voting numbers, which are shown separately.
With Esposito comfortably in front of the pack in a four-way race for two seats, the question was who would fill the final open seat. As of 1 a.m. Wednesday, that looked to be Haughwout, who was unofficially in second place with 26 percent (3,441 votes), leading Gilbert at 24 percent (3,167 votes) and fellow Democrat Michael Hickins.
But those figures did not include early voting results.
Once early voting totals were included, Gilbert pulled ahead of Haughwout.
Assemblyman Matt Slater later confirmed to Yorktown News that the numbers on the county’s unofficial tally were not the most up to date — nor the clearest — because early voting totals had not been included.
Combined with early voting, Gilbert received 5,527 votes — 3,167 on Election Day and 2,237 in early voting on the Democratic Party line, plus 123 on the Working Families Party line.
Haughwout received 3,431 votes on Election Day and 2,000 votes during early voting — 1,802 on the Republican Party line and 198 on the Conservative Party line.
In a text message to Yorktown News Wednesday morning, Haughwout said she was conceding.
“While this race didn’t end the way I had hoped, my heart is full of gratitude for this incredible community and the family we’ve built along the way,” Haughwout wrote in a text to Yorktown News. “Leadership isn’t defined by a title — it’s shown in service, heart, and perseverance. I’m so proud of what we created together, and I’m thankful for everyone who believed, showed up, and stood beside me.”
Haughwout, who has said she never planned to enter politics and began as a mom who wanted safer parks, better schools and a strong sense of community, said this “isn’t the end” for her and the town of Yorktown.
Gilbert previously chaired the Conservation Board for more than 12 years and is an alternate on the Zoning Board. He’s also worked as a court-attorney referee in Bronx Supreme Court for 35 years and currently serves as a commissioner for the New York State Bridge Authority and an administrative law judge for the Westchester County Health Department.
Esposito currently serves as deputy supervisor and a town councilman and is the Town Board’s liaison to the Planning Board. He is also a Westchester County deputy sheriff and previously served as president of the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce and as secretary of the Yorktown Ethics Board. Yorktown News reached out to Esposito for comment around 1 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, and will update this story when he responds.
In an email statement on Thursday morning to Yorktown News, Esposito said:
"Thank you to the voters of our town for placing your trust in me. I truly love this community, and I’m honored to serve it and you. Together, we will continue to strengthen our neighborhoods, support our small businesses, and keep our families safe. I look forward to continuing my chapter of service for another term; one of listening and working together. I will always put our town first, and I’m privileged to continue my work for all of you. Thank You Yorktown!"
Hickins, in an email to Yorktown News Wednesday, reflected on his campaign efforts:
"Meeting so many of our residents taught me to love Yorktown more than I already did. I’m very much proud of the race we ran — honest and about real issues, not personalities — and so grateful to the people who supported us."
He called the town "lucky" to have Gilbert joining the board.
"I cherish the opportunity I had to run alongside him, and know he will fight to promote the right kinds of development in the right places, so that Yorktown preserves what makes it special," Hickins wrote.
This article was updated at 11:36 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6 to include a statement from Sergio Esposito.
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