Mount Pleasant Democrats Seize Control as GOP Registration Lead Vanishes
A 3-2 Town Board majority and a 4,000-voter registration gap mark the end of Republican dominance in Westchester County’s last GOP stronghold.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Democrats gained control of the Mount Pleasant Town Board last week, ending decades of Republican rule in one of Westchester County’s final conservative strongholds. The new majority is 3-2, a shift secured by the election of former state assemblyman Tom Abinanti as supervisor and the defeat of Republican incumbent Carl Fulgenzi by approximately 3,300 votes.
This electoral upset coincides with a fundamental change in the town's voter registration data. According to 2026 Board of Elections figures, Democrats now hold a registration advantage of roughly 4,000 voters. The current breakdown lists 12,323 registered Democrats against 8,067 Republicans and 351 Conservatives. This gap has widened steadily since 2020, reversing a near-even split that existed as recently as 2012.
The demographic shift is visible in traditionally Republican areas. In the hamlet of Valhalla, the Republican and Conservative bloc now holds 35 percent of registrations, nearly matching the 33 percent for Democrats. In 2012, that group led by 42 percent to 26 percent. The largest Democratic margins remain in the villages of Pleasantville and Sleepy Hollow, where 44 percent and 57 percent of residents, respectively, are registered Democrats.
Structural reforms are amplifying these registration numbers. In 2024, the town settled a lawsuit alleging the at-large election system diluted Hispanic voting power. That settlement will expand the Town Board from five to seven seats, adding dedicated representatives for Pleasantville and Sleepy Hollow beginning in 2027. Additionally, New York state law moved local elections to even-numbered years, increasing turnout. Pleasantville voters approved moving their village elections from March to November by a margin of roughly seven in 10.
Republican Councilman Thomas Sialiano, who has served for two decades, called the current political reality "statistically, mathematically impossible" to overcome for his party. He cited the national blue wave and the structural changes to the calendar as key factors. Fulgenzi, the former supervisor, stated that his party was simply "outnumbered" by the sheer volume of registered Democrats.
County-wide results reflect the local trend. Democrats are positioned to hold all 17 seats on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, up from 15, pending the outcome of a dispute in District 15. Local Democrat Michael Peppard attributed the party's success to demographic turnover in Valhalla and Hawthorne and population growth in Sleepy Hollow. He noted that these shifts altered the fundamentals of the electorate, aided by a grassroots campaign that included outreach to Spanish-speaking residents.
Democratic Committee Vice-Chair Francesca Hagadus credited the victory to increased voter participation resulting from the calendar changes. She said the goal was to ensure turnout matched the party's registration majority. Hagadus, who helped push the Pleasantville election change, said she may run for village trustee again next year, planning to make a final decision in January.
