Democrat James Ward was elected to an unexpired term on the Rye City Council in a surprisingly close contest Tuesday — against an opponent who dropped out of the race more than a month ago.
Ward, 56, ran unopposed — in what was initially expected to be a hotly contested affair — when his Republican challenger, Rick McCabe, dropped out in September, citing health issues.
McCabe, 52, had barely campaigned for the seat after announcing his candidacy in May.
Ward won 59 percent of the votes cast in Tuesday night’s special election. McCabe, whose name still appeared on the ballot, received 41 percent.
Danielle Tagger-Epstein, chairwoman of the Rye City Democratic Committee, wasn’t surprised by McCabe’s support since his showing at the polls was similar to that of Republican candidates in the Sound Shore running for state offices.
In a presidential election, she said, “people voted party line” even though McCabe was no longer running.
“The results of this year’s races show why it is vital that there is engagement on the local level,” she said. “Everything starts on the local level. But it’s not surprising.”
Ward will now grab the reins from fellow Democrat Sara Goddard, who is stepping down from her interim appointment at year end. For Goddard, filling the City Council seat — following the abrupt December 2023 resignation of Ben Stacks — was never meant to be long-term.
“I am very excited to be on the City Council,” Ward said. “It’s an honor to serve and it comes with a lot of responsibility. I feel that.”
The unexpired term runs through the end of 2025. Ward will have to run again next November if he wants a full four-year term on the council. It is unclear if McCabe plans to seek the seat again.
McCabe did not return The Record’s call seeking comment.
The campaign marked Ward’s first foray into politics. The current chairman of the city Sustainability Committee, he will resign from his post and be officially sworn into elected office on Jan. 1, 2025.
Professionally, he works for a hedge fund in Stamford, Conn.
A Boston native who moved to Rye in 2011, Ward said he’s focused on seeing a new comprehensive plan to fruition. An updated plan is a long time coming — the city’s current plan was produced in 1985 during the Reagan administration. Municipal standards advise that communities update a comprehensive master plan every 10 years.
He would also like to see the city be more transparent, he told The Record during the campaign.
“I expect to serve the city in the best way I can. I will continue the work we are doing on sustainability, working on flooding,” he said.
The councilman-elect wants to focus on safety, making sure that the Police Department, Fire Department, and rescue teams are “best-in-class.”
Ward calls himself a centrist — both an environmentalist and a “nuts and bolts finance guy.” His emergence on the City Council won’t change the political makeup though, with Democrats already holding a tenuous majority.
But with three seats up for grabs next year, including the mayor’s, the council majority will be in play.