Voter turnout was low, and controversy continues about cutbacks in school programs

New Rochelle voters overwhelmingly approved budgets and bond issues for the City School District and the Public Library in local elections on Tuesday, May 19.  Two candidates for the Board of Education and one for the library’s Board of Trustees, all running unopposed, were also approved by the voters.

The school budget, which included controversial cuts to some educational programs due largely to the failure of state aid to keep up with rising costs, was ratified by a vote of 1860 to 752, representing approval by 77% of the voters.  

Similarly, the library budget was approved by a vote of 1963 to 644 (75%), and a bond issue for major renovations to the library building was approved by a vote of 1847 to 730 (72%).

Roshanie Ross was elected to a second term on the Board of Education, and Carmen Perez was elected to replace Gwen Clayton-Fernandes, who did not seek re-election.  Lucille Renwick, the current president of the Library Board, was elected to a second term.

Overall turnout in the local elections was disappointingly low, with only 5% of registered voters participating, despite active efforts to build voter engagement, particularly in the city’s South End.

The campaign by local activists to boost voter turnout was prompted by an analysis of turnout statistics in the 2025 school board elections, in which two white candidates from the North End of the city defeated three candidates of color, two of whom resided in the South End.  In that election, relatively strong North End turnout overwhelmed a weaker showing in the South End, although 64% of the city’s registered voters live in districts south of Eastchester Road. 

In the 2025 election, 23% of registered voters in districts north of Eastchester Road participated, compared to only 9% of registered voters in districts south of Eastchester Road.  The school board campaign was marred by widespread and unsubstantiated allegations of antisemitism against one of the candidates of color, and there were reports of a well-organized voter turnout campaign in the North End aiming—successfully–to defeat her.  

Activists in the South End recognized that increased voter participation in the south could swing city-wide elections such as those for the school and library boards, potentially growing the political power of the city’s less affluent and more marginalized communities.

In the weeks leading up to the election, activists distributed flyers encouraging voter participation at school drop-offs and pick-ups, at the Metro North station, at local athletic and recreational events, and at neighborhood association meetings. Activists placed flyers in local businesses and on parked cars, organized phone banks, and sent text messages.   

Yet, despite these efforts, only 3% of eligible voters in South End districts voted in the May 19 election.  Voter turnout in North End districts was 8%.  Fewer registered voters participated in both the North and South Ends than in last year’s election.

Activists reviewing these results attributed the low turnout primarily to the absence of contested elections for board seats.  North End turnout was far lower than last year, probably because last year’s large turnout in the north was boosted by the organized campaign against one of the candidates of color.  

Activists were pleased with the passage of the school and library budgets and bond issues, despite ongoing dissatisfaction with inadequate state support for the school district and lack of transparency regarding some of the planned reductions in services.  The poor turnout, despite an active campaign encouraging voter participation, was deeply discouraging.

When approached by activists encouraging them to vote, numerous South End residents expressed doubts about whether elections could make a difference in their lives. 

If increased participation in local elections is indeed a path to greater community empowerment, much more work lies ahead.