Dear Scarsdale Friends and Neighbors —

We welcome May with all of its promise of spring.  I hope that you are able to enjoy all that the season has to offer.

The League board has been prepping to host our Annual Meeting and Spring Luncheon at Scarsdale Golf Club, where we will have another incredible program, this year featuring Professor Martin Flaherty who will be speaking on the American Experiment at 250.  At the meeting, we will vote on our Proposed Annual Budget for 2026-27, our Proposed Local Program for 2026-27, and our Proposed Slate of Officers, Board Members and off-Board Nominating Committee Members for 2026-27. Please note that you have to be a current-year member in order to vote (if you have any question about your membership status, please reach out to me at lwvspresident@gmail.com). We look forward to seeing you at our Meeting and Luncheon!

This year the election for Scarsdale Board of Education is contested with three candidates running for two open positions.  The LWVS Voter Service chairs are busy organizing a candidate forum that will be held over Zoom on Thursday, May 7th @ 7:30.  Please tune in to meet the candidates and hear how they would approach the many challenging and nuanced issues of our District.  The election will be May 19th from 7AM - 9PM at Scarsdale Middle School.

Residents will also have the opportunity to vote on the proposed School Budget and School Bond referendum on May 19th.  You can learn more about the proposed School Bond, attend Town Hall meetings and building tours run by the District on Monday, May 4th @ 7PM at Fox Meadow Elementary and Wednesday, May 6th @ 7PM at Edgewood Elementary and read the League’s Consensus Statement on the School Bond issued 2/2/26.  You may view the Proposed School Budget for 2026-27 and read the League’s School Budget Consensus Statement issued 3/23/26.

I would like to congratulate Samantha Goldban and Anushiri Rana for their selection as Scarsdale’s representatives to Students Inside Albany on Sunday May 17th - Wednesday May 20th.  They will join other high school students from across the state to develop tools to influence public policy at the state level and then apply them when meeting in person with state legislators.

Please note, our Membership Drive for 2026-27 will take place again in early September. We welcome our entire community to join the League of Women Voters of Scarsdale. 

All my best,

Beth Cukier

Candidate Forum for 

Scarsdale Board of Education Contested Election

Thursday, May 7, 2026

7:30 p.m. via Zoom Webinar

Erica German

Omer Wiczyk

Kevin Ziegler

Audience members are cordially invited to Register to Attend the Virtual Candidate Forum. Zoom will automatically send an email confirmation with the webinar link. Registrants will also receive an automated email reminder shortly before the event.



The three candidates whose names will appear on the ballot for the two open seats in the upcoming School Board Election, Erica German, Omer Wiczyk, and Kevin Ziegler, have all been invited to participate as panelists. The two at-large School Board seats will go to the two highest vote recipients in the May 19, 2026, election.

The candidate forum will offer an opportunity for candidate opening and closing statements as well as a question and answer format with timed responses. An LWV of Westchester-trained moderator from outside of Scarsdale will preside and the forum will be conducted in a way that does not promote or advance any candidate over another.

Please follow this link to submit audience questions for anonymous use at the Candidate Forum. The deadline to submit questions is Sunday, May 3, 2026.

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). There will also be a contested School Board election to fill the two seats currently held by Robert Klein and Amber Yusuf, who are completing their second three-year terms.

SCHOOL BUDGET UPDATE:

At the April 13, 2026 Board of Education Business meeting, the Scarsdale Board of Education unanimously voted to adopt the proposed budget for the 2026-27 school year in the amount of $197,098,146, which represents a budget-to-budget increase of 2.92% and a tax levy growth of 3.37%.  

The Board largely believed that this budget strikes the appropriate balance between maintaining educational excellence and practicing fiscal responsibility. Acknowledging the challenges facing the District this year, including the $101 million bond and the Village pool project, members expressed their desire to put forth a budget within the tax cap. At the same time, they recognized the arbitrary nature of the tax cap, and stated that it would be difficult to stay within the tax cap in future budgets and also deliver the education program that the community expects and deserves. Despite these concerns, the members believed the budget furthers our strategic plan, maintains our core values, prioritizes student well-being and learning, and addresses critical infrastructure needs.   

The LWVS supports the 2026-27 Proposed Scarsdale School District Budget and recommends that the community vote “YES” to approve the final proposed Budget on May 19, 2026 at Scarsdale Middle School.

Links:

• Scarsdale Union Free School District Proposed Budget 2026-27
• Video of School Budget Information Session
• LWVS Consensus Statement on the 2026-27 Proposed School Budget
• LWVS School Bond and School Budget Referendum and School Board Election page
• LWVS 2025-26 Information Sessions page

Upcoming School Budget dates:

• Monday, May 11, 2026: Statutory Budget Hearing
• Tuesday, May 19, 2026: Bond Vote, Annual Budget Vote, and School Board Election

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.

May 2026

• 5/7, Thursday:
• 7:30 p.m. Candidate Forum for Scarsdale Board of Education Contested Election
• 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

• 6/4, Thursday:
• 5:00 p.m. LWVW Annual Meeting/Convention, Scarsdale Woman's Club
• 6/8, Monday:
• 10:30 a.m. LWVS Board Transition Meeting

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

Topic: The American Experiment at 250

Constitutional Democracy in a Time of Global Conflict and Democratic Pressure

What the Founders’ Vision Means for Citizens Today

Martin S. Flaherty ’81 is Charles and Marie Robertson Visiting Professor at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, where he was Fellow in the Program in Law and Public Affairs. He is also 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. Professor Flaherty also teaches at Columbia Law School and Barnard College. Previously he has been a visiting professor at China University of Political Science and Law and the National Judges College in Beijing, Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, and 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. For the Leitner Center, Human Rights First, and the New York City Bar Association, he has led or participated in human rights missions to Northern Ireland, Turkey, Hong Kong, Mexico, Malaysia, Kenya, Romania and China. Currently the President of the American Association of the International Commission of Jurists, Professor Flaherty

is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a legal expert advisor at the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly.

Flaherty's scholarly publications focus upon international human rights, foreign affairs, and constitutional law and history, 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 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

LWVW Annual Meeting/Convention (2026)

Thursday, June 4, 2026

5:00 - 8:00 pm at Scarsdale Woman's Club

Featured Speaker: Jeanne Sheehan Zaino, Ph.D.

Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Iona University

Topic: America at 250

Reckoning with the Past, Imagining the Future

Meet other local league members within Westchester County, hear what LWVW has accomplished this past year, learn what is on the horizon for 2026-27, vote on the LWVW budget for next year, LWVW bylaws amendments, the LWVW local program, elect and install incoming officers and directors, and enjoy the speaker and buffet supper.

Follow this link for more information.

LWVS in Action 2025-26



Follow this link to see all the League has accomplished this year!

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 April.

Thanks to my Executive Committee – Debbie Bhatt, Diksha Mudbhary, Dana Matsushita, Diane Baylor and Trish Chen – for their wise counsel throughout this year.

Thanks to Anne Lyons for her masterful planning of our Annual Meeting.   Thank you to Diksha Mudbhary for engaging an excellent speaker, Professor Martin Flaherty, for the event.

Thanks to Trish Chen for her meticulous work as Treasurer.

Thanks to Abigail Ruane for keeping us informed and engaged in the League’s advocacy work.

Thanks to Dalya Khan for leading a wonderfully engaging and well researched book club discussion of Caleb’s Crossing  by Geraldine Brooks.  Thank you to Debbie Bhatt for hosting the gathering in her home.

Thank you to Diane Baylor for taking such careful minutes at our meetings and keeping our website up to date.  Thanks to Dana Matsushita for her careful, thoughtful, and detailed work on the LWVS Bulletin.  Thank you to Mayra Kirkendall-Rodriguez and Heedan Chung for ensuring that League information is shared on social media to the Scarsdale community.

Thank you to Debbie Bhatt as Village Budget Chair for drafting the League’s Consensus Statement on the Village Budget.

Thank you to our Voter Service Chair, Kathy Gray for organizing the upcoming candidate forum for Scarsdale School Board and keeping the community informed of all local, regional and national elections.

I look forward to seeing the great work the League accomplishes. I urge you to stay informed, stay engaged, and most importantly, VOTE!

All my best,

Beth Cukier

TRY Brochure: They Represent You

The TRY brochure, the directory of elected and appointed government officials published by the LWVS, has recently been updated and is available on our website.

Village of Scarsdale

As of April 30, 2026

Board of Trustees

Justin Arest, Mayor

2nd term ends April 2027

Dara Gruenberg, Deputy Mayor

2nd term ends April 2027

Tim Foley

  1st term ends April 2028

David Goldschmidt

1st term ends April 2027

Jason Kofman

1st term ends April 2027

Ron Schulhof

 1st term ends April 2028

Scott Silberfein

1st term ends April 2028

Board of Education

Colleen Brown, Vice President

  2nd term ends June 2028

Leah Dembitzer

1st term ends June 2027

James C. Dugan

  2nd 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.