Belmont Takes Independence Party Line

Ron Belmont's write-in campaign to take the Independence Party line for this November's mayor/supervisor election appears to have worked.

Incumbent Supervisor Joan Walsh said Wednesday she doesn't expect to win Tuesday's primary election. According to unofficial estimates from the Westchester County Board of Elections, Walsh received only 15 votes during the primary. Belmont believes he had as many as 100 supporters write his name in.

"Ron worked very hard and I congratulate him on his victory," said Walsh. 

Belmont said he's excited about the results so far, but will wait for the official results before celebrating.

"I'm excited about it," he said. "I'm not going to get too excited until it's official."

Walsh, who is still endorsed by the Democratic Party, said although the loss of a party line hurts, it doesn't necessarily determine an election.

"Every line is important," Walsh said. "But I've won elections without them in the past and I expect that I can do it again."

"I still fully expect to be re-elected in November," she said.

Victory in the write-in campaign wasn't an easy task for Belmont, who needed to get the word out to enough voters who would know to write his name—and write it correctly—without seeing it on the ballot. 

The board of elections won't have the write-in ballots counted officially until next week, but both candidates were fairly certain of the outcome Wednesday afternoon.

Belmont will now run for supervisor on the Republican, Conservative and Independence Party lines. He credited Tuesday's result to hard work and voters recognizing him as a true Independent.

"We put a lot of work into it and we got it done," said Belmont. "We're going to continue to work hard and that's the type of person I am, if I'm elected mayor I'll continue to work hard for the Town/Village of Harrison."