TOWN OF NEWBURGH – The Town of Newburgh has settled its New York State Voting Rights Act case, which was scheduled for this week in state court in White Plains.
The six plaintiffs in the case, who are Newburgh voters, had argued that the five-member town board, elected entirely at-large, dilutes the black and Hispanic vote, making it difficult for those communities to elect a candidate of their choice even though the town is approximately 15 percent black and 25 percent Hispanic.
However, in November of last year, Mary McLymore, the only black candidate running for town board, was elected, receiving the most votes. According to Town Supervisor Gil Piaquadio, the settlement agreement involves a small modification from the current at-large system to a ranked-choice voting system.
Piaquadio said that adopting this approach rather than changing to a ward-specific election system will ensure that every member of the town board continues to represent all of the town’s residents, just as they have under the at-large system.
Noting McLymore’s win, Piaquadio said: “This is evidence that the town was correct to defend itself to keep the at-large system, and there was no reason to change to a ward system.”
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