He previously served as Deputy County Executive from 2018 to 2025, but after his predecessor, George Latimer, resigned on January 2, 2025 to take his seat as member of Congress for New York's 16th district, lawmakers selected Jenkins to fill the position until a special election in February 2025.[1] In February 2025, Jenkins won a special election to retain his role as county executive.[2] He is the first Black person to serve as Westchester County Executive.[3]
Jenkins also served as the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Yonkers branch. However, he was asked to stand down from his position in 1995 after he joined former Yonkers MayorTerence M. Zaleski at a press event where he said busing students had "outlived its usefulness" in the city. Jenkins's comments were met with criticism by organisation leaders who argued busing policies were necessary to pursue desegregation policies in Yonkers. The NAACP executive branch upheld Jenkins's suspension as president and barred him from holding any other leadership position for four years.[5]
Political career
Jenkins formally entered county politics in 2006 when he succeeded Andrea Stewart-Cousins on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, representing the 16th district which includes much of western Yonkers.[6] Jenkins was elected as Chairman of the Board of Legislators in 2010 and served in the post until 2013.[7]
In 2016, Jenkins announced he would challenge incumbent Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino in the next year's election.[8] He had previously attempted to win the Democratic nomination for county executive in 2013, but failed to garner enough support at the party convention and lost the nomination to New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson.[9] Jenkins and Astorino had clashed multiple times during the former's tenure as Board of Legislators chairman in lawsuits including ones challenging Astorino's capital projects, county transportation and his authority to oversee the management of Playland Amusement Park.[10] However, Jenkins lost his primary bid for county executive to then-State Senator Latimer, who also went on to unseat Astorino.[11] However, after taking office Latimer appointed Jenkins as deputy county executive.[12] While serving as deputy county executive, Jenkins also held a number of other positions including Chair of the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission and Treasurer of the New York State Democratic Committee.[13]
Latimer resigned as Westchester County Executive on January 2, 2025 after being elected to Congress to represent New York's 16th congressional seat.[14] Latimer was briefly succeeded by County Emergency Services Commissioner Richard G. Wishnie,[15] but county legislators unanimously voted for Jenkins to serve as executive until a special election could be held on February 11, 2025.[16] Jenkins had previously announced he would run in that special election after Latimer won his congressional race.[17]
Jenkins won a February February 12, 2025 special election for county executive, beating Republican Party candidate Christine Sculti with over 60 percent of the vote.[18]
Electoral results
Westchester County Executive, 2013 Democratic Convention Vote (First Round & Second Round)[19][20]
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