Ken Jenkins was sworn in as Westchester County executive on Monday shortly after county lawmakers tapped the former second-in-command to fill the new vacancy atop the county government.
Jenkins, who had served as deputy county executive for seven years, took the place of George Latimer, who left his county position last week to claim the congressional seat he won in November. Latimer, a Democrat, now represents the southern half of Westchester and a piece of the Bronx in New York’s 16th Congressional District.
Latimer’s resignation last week set off a series of mandatory succession steps, starting with the temporary installation of a county department head — Richard Wishnie, the emergency services commissioner — as county executive for a few days until the Board of Legislators could meet to name a replacement.
That happened Monday afternoon, with a 16-0 vote to appoint Jenkins.
“I am deeply honored and humbled by the confidence placed in me by all of you to serve as Westchester County executive,” Jenkins said afterward in a short speech in the legislative chambers in White Plains.
Jenkins, a 63-year-old Yonkers resident, was the first African-American to be deputy county executive and is now Westchester’s first Black county executive. He takes the helm of a government with a $2.5 billion budget and about 4,200 employees.
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Next comes a special election to finish Latimer’s second term, which expires at the end of the year. Legislators on Monday set Feb. 11 as the date for that election. So far, Jenkins is the only candidate who has announced interest in running for the position.
Another election must then be held in November for a full, four-year term as county executive.
Jenkins had been deputy county executive since 2018, when Latimer took office and chose his 2017 Democratic primary rival as his top lieutenant. Jenkins had served 11 years as a county legislator before then, including four years as board chairman.
Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal news and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@gannett.com.
