images of Federal, State and County Legislative Buildings
It’s been a punishing winter. I don’t blame anyone who hasn’t been paying attention to Yonkers politics, but we at the Ledger can’t let a blizzard or two stop us from following developments. This year’s election cycle has begun. Candidates are already circulating petitions to get on the ballot.
Although the Mayor and the City Council members are not running, there will be important federal, state and county elections, and at least one judicial race. For Yonkers voters, the most hotly contested races appear to be for State and County Legislator seats.
The Yonkers Ledger is committed to providing ongoing coverage and commentary on the elections. If any readers have specific questions or comments, we encourage you to email them to us. We promise to get back to you.
Today we look at the political landscape going into this year’s election. In follow-up coverage, we will take a closer look at the candidates in the contested primaries.
Some Background on Yonkers Political Dynamics
Yonkers politics is dominated by Mayor Mike Spano and his family-led political machine. Spano is now in his fourth term and 14th year in office. He is legally term-limited and cannot run again after the end of his current term in 2027. However, if history is the guide, there is no guarantee that he will step down. In both 2018 and 2022, when term-limit restrictions were in effect, the City Council — over which the Mayor has considerable influence, if not control — voted to extend the term limit law, allowing him to run for a third and then fourth term.
Yonkers has become a one-party town. Although the Mayor began his political life as a Republican, he switched his registration to Democrat before he first ran for Mayor in 2011. Since then, he and his team have consolidated control over the local Democratic Party while keeping their influence over the Republican Party.
There are currently six Democrats and one Republican on the City Council. If recent votes are indicative, they can all be counted on to the Mayor’s initiatives, especially those related to development and the budget. Anthony Merante, the lone Council Member who consistently questioned the Mayor’s policies, was defeated for reelection in 2025.
The control over City government is not at stake in this year’s election, at least not directly. There are, however, declared Democratic candidates running for County and State Legislator seats without the support of the Party. In essence, their independent decisions to run without the Party’s blessings are a challenge to the Spano organization’s control. If any of these unendorsed candidates are successful, it may be an indication that voters are ready for change in 2027, when the Mayor and three City Council Members will be up for reelection.
Where the Yonkers Republican and Democratic Parties Stand Now
Yonkers Democratic Party
The Democratic Party has already endorsed a full slate of candidates. The endorsements are important because not only do the Party’s district and ward leaders gather signatures for the endorsed candidates during the petition drive [link to Anna’s piece], many also work on the endorsed candidates’ campaigns, and help get out the vote.
Because there usually is a very low turnout in Yonkers primary elections, the Democratic Party endorsed candidates have a big advantage. The Party faithful, who almost always come out to vote, can be counted on to support the Party endorsed candidate.
Here are the Candidates the Yonkers Democratic Party has endorsed for 2026:
- George Latimer for U.S. Congress (16th District)
- Andrea Stewart-Cousins for State Senate (35th District)
- Shelley Mayer for State Senate (37th District)
- Mary Jane Shimsky for New York State Assembly (92nd District)
- Frank Jereis for New York State Assembly (90th District)
- Gary Pretlow for New York State Assembly (89th District)
- Wilson Terrero for Westchester County Legislator (17th District)
- Shanae Williams for Westchester County Legislator (16th District)
- Anthony Nicodemo for Westchester County Legislator (15th District)
- David Tubiolo for Westchester County Legislator (14th District)
- Alexandra Bisesi for Yonkers City Court Judge
Yonkers Democrats Running without the Party Endorsement
Three candidates without Party endorsement are currently circulating petitions. They are:
- Jeanette Garcia for New York State Assembly (90th District)
- Kisha Skipper for Westchester County Legislator (15th District)
- Leslye Oquendo-Thomas for Westchester County Legislator (17th District)
The challenge for these candidates is to first collect enough signatures to earn a place on the ballot without the help of the Party, and then go on to win the primary against the Party endorsed candidate. If they win the primary and make it onto the ballot for the November general election, the Party will most likely endorse them at that time.
Yonkers Republican Party
During the 2025 election cycle, there was a fight within the Yonkers Republican Party over whether to endorse candidates to run against some Democrats who supported Mayor Spano. A reform faction of the Party, which included former Council Member Merante, broke with the Spano controlled Republicans because the reformers believed the Party had forsaken basic Republican principles by supporting Democrats and blocking true Republicans from running. Merante denounced the Republicans controlling the Party as not Republicans, but “Spanocans.”
This year, it initially appeared that the rift among the Republicans had not been resolved when the reformers announced their own slate of candidates:
- Anthony Merante for New York State Senate (35th District)
- John Isaac for New York State Assembly (90th District)
- Brandon J. Neider for New York State Assembly (89th District)
- Bebe Ahmed for Westchester County Legislator (14th District)
This slate was then quickly endorsed by the Westchester County Republican Party.
Ron Matten, a Yonkers Republican district leader, frequent commentator on social media and member of the reform faction, explained that the reformers felt marginalized by the Party and had become an “island of misfit toys,” because they wanted an independent Yonkers Republican Party free of Spano influence.
According to Matten, however, at the Yonkers Republican convention on February 22nd, the Party extended an “olive branch” to the reformers, and agreed to endorse the reformers slate of candidates as well as James Nolan, the incumbent County Legislator in the 15th District.
Thus, at least for now, the Republicans are united as they enter the campaign season.
What We will be Watching For
On the Democratic side, we will be watching to see if any of the candidates that the Party did not endorse are able to break through by earning a place in the primary election and then winning the primary over the Party’s preferred candidate. The potential primary races will be between:
- Wilson Terrero v. Leslye Oquendo–Thomas for County of Westchester Legislator (17th District) There is currently no Republican running in the 17th District; thus, the winner of the primary is almost guaranteed to win the general election in November.
- Kisha Skipper v. Anthony Nicodemo for Westchester County Legislator (15th District) The winner of this primary will run against incumbent Republican James Nolan in the November general election.
- Jeanette Garcia v. Frank Jereis for New York State Assembly (90 District) In November, the winner of this primary will likely face Republican John Isaac.
Because of their newfound unity, it doesn’t look like there will be any Republican primaries this year. Still, because registered Democratic voters outnumber Republicans three to one, it is unlikely that any of their endorsed candidates, except for incumbent James Nolan, can reasonably expect to win their races. But for the reform Republicans, winning is not the only objective. They are also seeking to win the hearts and minds of the Yonkers Republican rank and file to ensure that in future elections their candidates are independent and free from Spano control.
Confused? We get it
If you’re finding this all confusing, you’re not alone. There is a lot of backroom politics and jockeying going on. If there is one unifying thread, however, it is that in both the Yonkers Democrat and Republican Parties, there are candidates who are running against the political machine that has had near complete control over Yonkers elections during the almost 15 years of the Spano era. Collectively, the insurgent candidates in both parties profess to be the candidates of change.
You can expect plenty more political maneuvering as we get deeper into the political season.
