Mimi Rocah Declares Victory in June Primary for Westchester County District Attorney
- Tuesday, 21 July 2020 21:23
- Last Updated: Wednesday, 15 September 2021 12:28
- Published: Tuesday, 21 July 2020 21:23
- Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 4141
With 68% of the in person votes and 76% of the mail-in ballots opened to date, Scarsdale's Mimi Rocah has been declared the victor in the primary election for Westchester County District Attorney. Rocah defeated Anthony Scarpion who served as District Attorney for one term. She will face Republican challenger Bruce Bendish in November.
Rocah said, “I am tremendously honored to be able to declare victory today in the Democratic Primary for Westchester District Attorney after three weeks with more than 50,000 absentee ballots counted. I am grateful to every voter for making their voice heard during this pandemic. This result is a strong mandate from voters - they want change in Westchester’s criminal justice system as our nation reckons with police misconduct, demands greater accountability and ethics reform at all levels of government,” said Rocah.
Since winning 68% of the in-person votes from Early Voting and Election Day (27,759 votes to Scarpino’s 13,082), Rocah has won 76% of the mailed-in absentee ballots opened so far (38,530 vs. 12,279 for Scarpino). With less than 30,000 paper ballots remaining to be counted, Rocah’s total 66,289 votes (72%) against Scarpino’s 25,361, decisively makes her the Democratic nominee facing the Republican in November's General Election. The Westchester Board of Elections will certify the official results after it concludes the ballot count.
The rest of Rocah’s statement is below.
“I appreciate the call from District Attorney Anthony Scarpino and I look forward to working with him to ensure Democrats come together to deliver true reform to the Westchester DA’s office and remove Trump from the White House in November.
“The need for accountability and fairness in our criminal justice system has never been clearer, and I am committed to addressing racial inequality and ensuring true justice for all. From conviction integrity to transparency to community partnerships for gun violence prevention and support of sexual assault victims, we can do more on the local level to improve our criminal justice system and keep our communities safe. As Trump continues to wreak havoc on the rule of law, it is imperative that we do everything we can to stand up to his abuses of power.
“We won in every town, city and village of Westchester, and the voters made it clear that they are ready for change. I am honored to have their faith and support, and I am excited to continue onward to the General Election.
“I want to acknowledge and thank all of our staff, volunteers, and interns who gave countless hours to this campaign and helped drive this grassroots operation up until the very last hour on Election Day.
“I also want to thank all of our supporters, especially Hillary Clinton; Preet Bharara; Gloria Steinem; Jeff Deskovic; Congressmember Hakeem Jeffries and Eric Swalwell; Senator Alessandra Biaggi; County Legislators Chris Johnson, Catherine Borgia, Lyndon Williams, Kitley Covill, Alfreda Williams, Damon Maher, MaryJane Shimsky, and Nancy Barr; Mount Vernon Council President Lisa Copeland and Councilmembers Derrick Thompson and Delia Farquharson; Yonkers City Council President Mike Khader and Councilmembers Tasha Diaz and Shanae Williams; New Rochelle City Councilmembers Yadira Ramos-Herbert and Martha Lopez; White Plains Council President Nadine Hunt-Robinson; Peekskill Councilman Ramon Fernandez; Ardsley Mayor Nancy Kaboolian; Ossining Mayor Victoria Gearity; Bedford Town Board Deputy Supervisor MaryAnn Carr and Town Board member Bobbi Bitker; the Working Families Party; 1199SEIU; the Hispanic Democrats of Westchester; Progressive Women of Pelham; Hudson Valley Stonewall Democrats; Black Westchester; Eleanor’s Legacy; Vote Mama; National Association of Blacks in Law Enforcement; National Latino Peace Officers Association; all the Democratic Committees who backed us; and so many others.”