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MOUNT PLEASANT, N.Y. Republican challenger Michael Smith declared victory in the District 3 County Board of Legislators race Tuesday afternoon in a released statement, all but officially ending two-term incumbent John Nonnas time on the board.
I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the voters of District 3 who have placed their trust in me, Smith said in the statement.
The declaration comes two weeks after the Nov. 8 general election. Shortly after election night, Smith held a 123 vote lead with 100 percent of the districts reporting. The polls were then frozen while absentee ballots were counted. Smith said he received word from the Westchester County Board of Elections Monday that he held a 129 vote margin, 5,341 to 5,212, over Nonna after absentee ballots were counted.
Smith said in a phone interview that a race this close accounted for the elongated process. I wanted to be cautious and make sure everything was counted and made clear, Smith said. Thats why I waited until this point to declare a victory,
Smith said he gave Nonna a 24-hour window to concede, for which Nonna declined. Messages left with Nonna were unreturned Tuesday afternoon.
Despite taking the District 3 seat from a two-time incumbent in a tight race, Smith said he sees no challenges in filling the role left by Nonna.
Theres a clean slate now, Smith said. When Im sworn into that office, its Michael Smith now and theres work that needs to be done, the campaign is over.
This election was Smiths first political race. Smith is the chief financial officer of Berkeley Educational Services, a company of about 1,500 people. He is the former president of the Valhalla Union Free School District Board of Education. Smith's background is in business with a bachelor's degree in accounting from Fairfield University and a MBA in finance from Fordham University Graduate School of Business.
District 3 is comprised of Mount Pleasant, Pleasantville, and Sleepy Hollow, and parts of Greenburgh, and North Castle and Briarcliff Manor.
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