Running unopposed, Sea Cliff Mayor Elena Villafane and Trustees James Versocki and Mark Sobel were re-elected on Tuesday, March 18.
Villafane received 1,064 votes, Versocki 1,027 and Sobel 1,055.
“I want to thank every resident who took the time to cast their ballot,” Villafane said. “Whether you voted for me is beside the point. Engagement in the electoral process is the backbone of democracy.”
Although Villafane ran unopposed for the mayoral seat, tensions in the village grew last week when resident Robert Ehrlich declared himself mayor on March 10.
The village said he entered the village hall and refused to leave, demanding office space and requiring police intervention.
Following the incident, Ehrlich took to a public resident group on Facebook and asked group members to vote for him as a write-in candidate in the election. According to the village, Ehrlich received 62 write-in votes.
He reportedly announced himself the winner of the mayoral race 30 minutes after the polls opened.
Villafane, who has lived in the village for over 30 years, was first elected mayor in 2021. She previously served as a village trustee from 2003 to 2009, from 2014 to 2016, and from 2019 to 2021.
She said one of her top priorities has been updating the village’s zoning codes. Since its adoption in 1979, the comprehensive plan has not been considered “holistically,” and clarifying codes would benefit both commercial and residential lots.
“As a board that leads this village and manages it, I think it’s our obligation as elected officials to plan for the future,” she said in a previous interview with Schneps Media Long Island.
Villafane said moving forward, she “will not tolerate any further attempts to undermine the governance of this village.”
Versocki, who has lived in the village for 15 years, has served as trustee since 2021 and said he has been involved in conversations regarding the village’s water supply. He said he joined the board to give back to the village.
“I really wanted to give back more to the community,” he said in a previous interview with Schneps Media Long Island.
Sobel, who has lived in the village for 13 years, has served as trustee since 2023. He said he prioritizes environmental issues, specifically the Sea Cliff shoreline. As a retired union president, Sobel said he had experience in elected positions and ran for trustee because he wanted to serve the people in his community.
“Always, what I wanted to do was help people,” he said in a previous interview with Schneps Media Long Island.
Villafane, Versocki, and Sobel have been elected to serve for another two years, expiring in 2027.
“This election was about our shared vision for Sea Cliff—a vision of responsible leadership, thoughtful progress and a community that works together to achieve great things,” Villafane said.
