POUGHKEEPSIE – Veteran Poughkeepsie City Councilwoman Yvonne Flowers made history on election night, becoming the first black woman to be elected mayor of the city of 32,000 people. Flowers turned back a challenge from schoolteacher and former City of Poughkeepsie cop Anthony LaRocca Jr. Flowers won every one of the eight wards in the city with 3,195 votes compared to Republican LaRocca who netted 1,474 votes.
On winning every ward, Flowers said, “People are ready for a change – they’re ready for this city to be united.” The visibly excited mayor-elect told a room full of supporters and fellow councilmembers that she was ready to work. Flowers pledged to rest on Wednesday and then get to the task of working on the 2024 proposed budget with the council while also working with her transition team and preparing to search for the next city administrator.
The city will also have a few new faces on the council in January. Da’Ron Wilson ran unopposed for the councilman-at-large position and will assume the role of chairman when he takes office.
In the first ward, Ernest Henry, a convicted felon who defeated incumbent Debra Long in the Democratic primary, endured a write-in challenge from Long who vowed to make Henry’s criminal past the major talking point of her campaign. The negative campaign was unsuccessful and Henry received 276 votes compared to the 21 people who wrote Long’s name on the ballot.
Evan Menist fended off a challenge to his second ward seat from Republican Victor Feit. Democrat Terriciena Brown ran unopposed for the third ward seat and Nathan Shook retained his fourth ward seat when the Republicans failed to field a challenger. Democrat Ondie James ran unopposed in the fifth ward in her first campaign. Christopher Grant, a Democrat from the sixth ward, retained his seat as did Nedra Thompson in the seventh ward and Megan Deichler in the eighth ward.
