In Mamaroneck Village, outsider Sharon Torres becomes first Hispanic woman mayor

VILLAGE OF MAMARONECK — First-time candidate Sharon Torres stunned establishment Democrats on Tuesday, ousting three-term Mayor Tom Murphy on an independent line.

Torres, the chief human resources officer for a New York City social services agency, will become the village’s first Hispanic mayor. She is a Democrat and was supported by the Village of Mamaroneck Democrats, but ran on the independent Building Bridges Party line.

Murphy ran on the Democratic line.

Torres won by 175 votes, according to unofficial returns, with 52% of the vote.

“Be the girl who decided to go for it,” exclaimed Torres Wednesday morning on the Concerned Residents of Mamaroneck Facebook page.

More: Mamaroneck village manager Barberio's contract ratified in secret behind closed doors

Village voters also rejected by 64% to 36% a referendum proposed by the Village Board to increase village trustee terms from two to four years.

Torres said she was heartened on election night to see lifelong Democrats and Republicans in the same room, together, hoping for a positive result, as the returns came in.

“There was so much positive energy,” she said. “I’m hoping to pull more new members into our committees and I want to expand the voices involved so we can make better decisions."

Joining Torres on the independent line was Trustee Nora Lucas, another Democrat who had clashed many times with Murphy. Lucas won another term.

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Torres campaigned on return to civility

Torres said she decided to enter the campaign for mayor after the deadline for filing petition signatures to run on the Democratic line. Had she done so, it would have resulted in a Democratic primary against Murphy.

Among Torres' top issues is flooding in the village, which continues to impact low-lying neighborhoods. Her initiatives will include working with other municipalities, such as Harrison and White Plains, which lie in the watershed that drains through the village.

Murphy, who had the endorsements of County Executive George Latimer, state Assemblyman Steve Otis, D-Rye, as well as U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, wished his supporters well in a message on Facebook.

“It has been a pleasure to serve the Village these many years,” he wrote. “I congratulate Sharon Torres and Nora Lucas and wish them the best.”

Torres had campaigned on a return to civility in the public sphere, in a bid to calm the political waters in a municipality riven by disputes over open government, flooding, financial irregularities at the library, infrastructure, and the recent four-year contract extension for Village Manager Jerry Barberio.

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Her unusual path to seeking office

Torres said that working from home during the COVID pandemic freed up time for her to become more involved in local affairs. That involvement led her to social media, where Mamaroneck village issues attract a vocal audience on various Facebook pages and on the Next Door mobile app.

“Over the last couple of years, it has been a slow process, first getting to know people, and then people asking me to run because social media here had become so divisive,” she said. “I thought I was making rational and calm comments.  And Tom was making derogatory remarks.”

She said the response she received for helping to explain public issues to her neighbors motivated her to become more involved. And that drove her to mobilize dissatisfied Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters to gather signatures to get on the ballot.

“People want to be heard, with respect,” said Torres. “We need to find a way to make that better. And the only way we can do that is by working together.”

She said the campaign opened her eyes to the village’s rough-and-tumble public sphere. She was disturbed to learn that some residents feared retribution for siding with a challenger like herself.

“I tried to keep the campaign as factual and clean as possible,” said Torres. “I was happily surprised at how people responded, and was also surprised that people feared repercussions for supporting me.”

Among those voting for Torres was longtime resident Stuart Tiekert, who has dug into public issues with persistent requests for village records through the state Freedom of Information Law. Tiekert was among those who criticized the Village Board for voting in private for the new contract for Barberio.

“It’s a new day in the village,” he said. “I think the importance that the first woman of color was elected mayor, and she wasn’t on a major party line, should not be underestimated. I really hope this increases involvement in the village.”

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David McKay Wilson writes about tax issues and government accountability. Follow him on Twitter @davidmckay415 or email him at dwilson3@lohud.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY elections: Sharon Torres wins Mamaroneck mayor race over incumbent