I hope that you are enjoying the start of spring! The LWVS had a very active March filled with advocacy and civic engagement. We held our School Budget and Village Budget Information Sessions and Consensus Meetings.

Coming up on April 24, we look forward to our book discussion about Caleb’s Crossing, by Geraldine Brooks. We will enjoy light refreshments, good company, and a great discussion, all in the comfort of a private home. Please register to attend–all are welcome and we look forward to seeing you.

This issue of the bulletin announces our proposed slate of Officers, Board Members, and Off-Board Nominating Committee Members for 2026-27. In addition, the bulletin includes our proposed 2026-27 Local Programs. We will vote on all business at our Annual Meeting on Friday, May 8, at 10:30 a.m. at the Scarsdale Golf Club. Our speaker at this year’s annual meeting will be Martin Flaherty, Leitner Family Professor of International Human Rights Law at Fordham Law School as well as teaching at both Columbia University and Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs. We will be discussing our Constitution and the state of democracy 250 years later. We hope that you can join us!

As we approach election season, starting with our local May School Board, Budget and Bond Vote, and June Primaries and continuing through the November General Election, the LWVS will continue to register voters and provide essential voter information on our website and through Vote411.org. Please reach out to lwvspresident@gmail.com if you would like to get involved with these efforts.

Registration is underway for the 57th Biennial League of Women Voters National Convention in Columbus, OH and online, June 25-28. 

I encourage you to be active and engaged in our League as well as the community!

All the best,

Beth Cukier

2026 Scarsdale School Bond and School Budget Referendum

and School Board Election



Tuesday, May 19, 2026

In-person voting from 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 

Scarsdale Middle School 

134 Mamaroneck Road 

The proposed school bond for capital projects and the proposed 2026-27 school budget will be subject to a vote (see LWVS School Bond Consensus Statement issued 2/2/26 and LWVS School Budget Consensus Statement issued 3/23/26) and the names of all individuals who have successfully filed timely completed candidate petitions will be on the ballot for election to the School Board. The election is to fill two Board seats currently held by Robert Klein and Amber Yusuf, who are completing their second three-year terms.

The LWVS supported the proposed Scarsdale Schools Bond as of January 26, 2026, with reservations. The LWVS notes that it issued its Bond Consensus Statement prior to the changes the Board of Education made to the bond scope at the February 2, 2026 Bond Forum, which changes are included in the final bond scope being proposed for voter approval. 

The LWVS supports the 2026-27 Scarsdale School Budget and encourages the community to vote YES.

VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION

To be qualified to register to vote in this election, you must:

• be at least 18 years of age by the date of the election,
• be a United States citizen,
• have continuously resided in the Scarsdale Public School District for a period of at least 30 days immediately preceding the date of the election,
• not be in prison for a felony conviction,
• not be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court, and
• not claim the right to vote elsewhere.

You are already eligible to vote if you meet either of the following criteria:

• You are registered with the Westchester County Board of Elections to vote in general elections, or
• You are registered to vote in the Scarsdale Public School District and have voted in a school election within the past four years.

Enter your information in the SUFSD Poll Place Finder/Am I Registered form to find out if you are already registered to vote in this election.

For more information, visit the LWVS School Bond and School Budget Referendum and School Board Election page or contact the LWVS Voter Service Chair.

April 2026

• 4/16, Thursday:
• 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Running & Winning, Manhattanville University
• 4/22, Wednesday:
• 7:30 p.m. Board Meeting, Zoom
• 4/24, Friday:
• 12:00 p.m. LWVS Book Discussion

May 2026

• 5/8, Friday:
• 10:30 a.m. Annual Meeting and Luncheon, Scarsdale Golf Club
• 5/19, Tuesday:
• 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. School Budget Vote and Board of Ed Election, Scarsdale Middle School Gym

June 2026

• 6/8, Monday:
• 10:30 a.m. LWVS Board Transition Meeting

Please join us for our April Book Group!

LWVS Book Discussion

Caleb’s Crossing

By Geraldine Brooks

April 24, 2026

12:00 - 1:30pm

Location, Private Home

We look forward to meeting in person for a lively discussion of Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks on Friday, April 24, 2026 at noon. The book follows the life of Bethia Mayfield, a Puritan minister’s daughter in 17th-century Massachusetts, and her secret relationship with Caleb, the young son of a Wampanoag chieftain. When Caleb becomes one of the first Native students at Harvard College, Bethia struggles to find her own path at a time ruled by superstition, ignorance, and rigidity. Inspired by a true story, the novel examines themes of faith, sacrifice, and identity. As we approach our country’s 250th birthday, join us on a journey back to colonial times on Martha’s Vineyard, exploring life there in the years before our nation’s founding.

Bronx River Books in Scarsdale Village is offering a 10% discount on the purchase of the book if you mention that you are participating in the League Book Group. 

Please RSVP using the form below to let us know if you will be participating. The address for the meeting location will be sent via email. We look forward to seeing you this spring!

League of Women Voters of Scarsdale

Annual Meeting and Luncheon

 Friday, May 8, 2026

10:30 am to 1:30 pm

(luncheon and speaker portion of event begins at 11:45 am)

Scarsdale Golf Club

Featured Speaker:

Professor Martin S. Flaherty (see bio below)

I. Call to Order and Welcome to All: Beth Cukier

• Introduction of Parliamentarian
• Introduction of Secretary
• Adoption of Order of Business
• Motion for Annual Meeting Minutes to Be Adopted by the LWVS Board

II. President’s Report: Beth Cukier

III. Treasurer’s Report and YTD Budget and Actuals: Trish Chen

IV. Presentation of Proposed LWVS Budget 2026-27: 

• Proposed LWVS Budget 2026-27
• Budget Adoption

V. Presentation of Proposed LWVS Local Program 2026-27:

• Proposed LWVS Local Program with Outlook for Work
• Adoption of LWVS Local Program 2026-27

VI. Report of the Nominating Committee: 

• Presentation of Proposed LWVS Slate for 2026-27
• Nominations from the Floor
• Election and Installation of 2026-27 LWVS Officers, Directors, and Nominating Committee

VII. Directions to the Board

VIII. Other Business Announcements

IX. Upcoming Events

X. Adjournment

Featured Speaker:

Professor Martin S. Flaherty

Martin S. Flaherty is Leitner Family Professor of International Human Rights Law and Founding Co-Director of the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham Law School. He is also a longtime Visiting Professor at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, where he was Fellow in the Program in Law and Public Affairs and also currently teaches at Columbia Law School and Barnard College. Professor Flaherty has previously taught at China University of Political Science and Law and the National Judges College in Beijing, Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, Queen’s University Belfast. Professor Flaherty earlier served as a law clerk for Justice Byron R. White of the U.S. Supreme Court and Chief Judge John Gibbons of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Flaherty received a J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was Book Reviews and Articles Editor of the Columbia Law Review, an M.A. and M.Phil., with distinction, from Yale (in history), and B.A. summa cum laude from Princeton. Flaherty’s scholarly publications focus upon constitutional law and history, foreign affairs, and international human rights and appear in such journals as the Columbia Law Review, the Yale Law Journal, the Michigan Law Review, the University of Chicago Law Review, Constitutional Commentary, the Harvard Journal of Law and Policy, and the Harvard Human Rights Journal. He has written, appeared, or been quoted in The New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, the Boston Globe, the Daily News, Newsday, the PBS Newshour, CNN, MSNBC, and NPR. He is also the author of the Restoring the Global Judiciary: Why the Supreme Court Should Rule in Foreign Affairs (Princeton University Press, 2019).

Early Bird rate is $70 through May 2, 2026

Student rate is $35

Running & Winning (2026)

Thursday, April 16, 2026

8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Manhattanville University

On Thursday, April 16, 2026, at Manhattanville University, the League of Women Voters of Westchester (LWVW) will host Running & Winning, an annual one-day program for female high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, for an active and interactive political experience. The program is designed to support students’ aspirations to seek public office, develop their leadership potential, and increase gender parity in government institutions. 

Complete the R&W Sign Up Sheet to volunteer. Contact Dana Post, Chair of 2026 Running & Winning, for more information.

Two SHS Students Selected to Attend Students Inside Albany 2026

Two Scarsdale High School students, Samantha Goldban, an 11th grader, and Anushri Rana, a 10th grader, have been selected for their inspiring achievements in their school and community to participate in this year’s Students Inside Albany (SIA) Conference. The SIA program generated overwhelming interest at Scarsdale High School, and all applicants had impressive involvement and qualifications. 

This year’s four-day conference will take place in Albany from Sunday, May 1​7th to Wednesday, May 2​0​th. The agenda will be packed with tools to instruct students on how to influence public policy decision-making at the state level. Additionally, the opportunity to meet in person with legislators, which is always the highlight of the Conference, will continue.

The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale looks forward to offering the opportunity for Scarsdale students to attend the Students Inside Albany Conference again.

Thank you

The LWVS thrives with the support and hard work of a community of volunteers. I would like to extend thanks to the volunteers who contributed their valuable time and energy during the month of March.

Thank you to Dalya Khan for organizing and running the recent info session and general consensus meeting on the School Budget, and for the lightning turn-around on the League’s consensus statement.  

Thank you to Debbie Bhatt for monitoring the Village budget process, running an educational info session and consensus meeting on the Village Budget, and for her active support and sage counsel throughout the month.  Thank you to Debbie Bhatt and Eva Romas Wilson for keeping track of the pool renovation and other major projects.

Thanks to Kathy Gray for her work on Voter Service and coordination with other Westchester Leagues.

Thank you to Anne Lyons for her work on the finance drive.  Thanks to Trish Chen for her work as Treasurer and to Shilpa Spencer for her work as Membership Statistician.

Thanks to Dana Matsushita for her detailed work on the LWVS Bulletin as well as on our eblast communications and for her thoughtful contributions to League discussion. Thanks to Diane Baylor for taking thorough minutes at our meetings, and for her wise counsel and supportive work throughout, and for serving as our liaison to the LWVW. 

Thank you to Lauren Grossberg for chairing the nominating committee and to Shilpa Spencer, Suzie Hahn, Wendy MacMillan, and Liz Sipprelle for serving as committee members and recruiting an amazing slate.

Thank you to Nancy Michaels for chairing and hosting the budget committee meeting and to Trish Chen, Erica Rublin, Anne Lyons, Diane Baylor and Debbie Bhatt for serving on that committee and crafting a budget for the upcoming year.

Thank you to the representatives from the School District and Village Administration, Board of Education and Village Trustees who joined us for our March Information Sessions – the LWVS appreciates all of your hard work on behalf of our community.

I look forward to all of the positive work for our community that lies ahead.

All my best,

Beth Cukier

Village of Scarsdale

As of March 31, 2026

Board of Trustees

Justin Arest, Mayor

2nd term ends April 2027

Dara Gruenberg, Deputy Mayor

2nd term ends April 2027

Jeremy Gans

  2nd term ends April 2026

David Goldschmidt

1st term ends April 2027

Jason Kofman

1st term ends April 2027

Ken Mazer

  2nd term ends April 2026

Jeremy Wise

1st term ends April 2026

Board of Education

Jim Dugan, President

  2nd term ends June 2027

Colleen Brown, Vice President

  2nd term ends June 2028

Leah Dembitzer

1st term ends June 2027

Suzie Hahn

  2nd term ends June 2028

Robert Klein

  2nd term ends June 2026

Laura Ying Liu

1st term ends June 2028

Amber Yusuf

  2nd term ends June 2026

League of Women Voters of Scarsdale

2025-26

Officers

President: Beth Cukier

LWVSpresident@gmail.com

First Vice President: Deborah Bhatt

Second Vice President: Diksha Mudbhary

Corresponding Secretary: Dana Matsushita

LWVScommunications@gmail.com

Recording Secretary: Diane Baylor

LWVSrecsecretary@gmail.com

Treasurer: Trish Chen

LWVStreasury@gmail.com

2025-26 Elected Board Members

Kathy Gray

Dalya Khan

Mayra Kirkendall Rodriguez

Nan Eileen Mead

Eva Romas Wilson

Abigail Ruane

Shilpa Spencer

2025-26 Appointed Board Members

Anne Lyons

Kitt Rosenthal

Liz Sipprelle

Committee Chairs

Advocacy: Abigail Ruane

Audit: Erika Rublin (Off-Board)

Book Group: Dalya Khan

Budget: TBD (Off-Board) 

Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures: Diane Baylor

Communications:

• Bulletin Editor: Dana Matsushita 
• Eblast: Dana Matsushita  
• Publicity: Dana Matsushita 
• Social Media: TBD
• Website: Diane Baylor 

Development/Finance Drive: Erika Rublin (Off-Board)

Environment/Sustainability: Attiya Malik

Local Budgets:

• School Budget: Dalya Khan
• Village Budget: Deborah Bhatt

Local Election Systems:

• School Election: Shilpa Spencer
• Village Election: Diane Baylor and Attiya Malik

LWVW Liaison: Diane Baylor and Kitt Rosenthal

Membership: Diksha Mudbhary and Liz Sipprelle

• Membership Statistician: Shilpa Spencer

Nominating Committee: Lauren Grossberg (Off-Board) 

Planning and Zoning: Eva Romas Wilson

Program/Education: Diksha Mudbhary 

Voter Service: Kathy Gray and Attiya Malik

• Candidate Forum(s)
• Naturalization Court
• Voter Registration Drive(s)

Youth Engagement:

• Civics Jeopardy: Mayra Kirkendall Rodriguez
• Mock Election: Mayra Kirkendall Rodriguez
• Students Inside Albany: Nan Eileen Mead

Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport – Get Involved!

The League of Women Voters

Creating A More Perfect Democracy 

For Over 100 Years

The League of Women Voters of Scarsdale (LWVS) is a volunteer nonpartisan political organization which promotes political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government. The League is nonpartisan in that it does not support or oppose any candidate for public office; it is political in that it takes positions on selected governmental issues after serious member study and consensus.