This article was updated on Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. to include confirmation from Councilwoman Julie Souza that she does not plan to seek reelection.
The Rye Democrats are putting forward a full slate for November’s pivotal elections, offering voters a diverse set of candidates as they look to regain unified control of the City Council.
The party is planning to run Amy Kesavan, Marion Anderson, and newly-minted Councilman James Ward, The Record has learned, to round out the Democratic ticket headlined by mayoral candidate Josh Nathan, 59, who announced his campaign Friday.
If the Democrats have a strong showing at the polls they will be in position to reclaim a united majority on the council for the first time in years.
Kesavan, 47, moved to Rye around the time Hurricane Sandy tore through it in 2012. She said she has seen the city transform since and is now looking to get more involved.
In town, she has held positions on the Rye Historical Society board of trustees and the city Sustainability Committee, in addition to spending a year (2023) as a nurse for the Rye City School District.
She is thrilled, she said, to be a part of an experienced, highly competent slate but felt it was too early in the campaign to outline her priorities since “the needs of the community change so fast.”
“We’re really eager to get out and talk to the community and see what’s important to the community and really hear the feedback,” Kesavan told The Record. “Ultimately, we want to reflect that back in our policy decisions, those values and priorities.”
Kesavan grew up in Kansas where she obtained her bachelor’s in operations management and master’s in political science from Kansas State University.
After relocating to Washington, D.C., she spent seven years at The Pentagon, serving in a variety of roles.
“When you work in the area that I was in, which was acquisition focused and international research and development, you are always trying to balance budgets with the endless requirements,” Kesavan said. “And that is not so different than a city council, where you have a mandate to be [fiscally] responsible on making decisions about an endless list of needs for a community.”
She then ventured to New York City in 2010. Years later, during the pandemic, she pursued a second master’s from Columbia University — this time in nursing. After earning her degree in fall 2022, she worked as a nurse for the school district for a year before transitioning to the maternal unit at Greenwich Hospital in Connecticut.
Anderson, 69, a lifelong Rye resident and graduate of Rye High School, said the time was right for her to step up and give back to her community.
“I think I bring a unique perspective that others on the ticket may not have the longevity,” Anderson said about running. “I’ve seen Rye go through a lot of changes, good and bad.”
She called Rye a “special place.”
The Democratic slate is preparing to sit down and refine their platform soon, Anderson said, with their current priority being to “listen to the community and be responsive.”
In her professional life, Anderson served as the director and later board president of Kids Space of Rye, an early childhood care center. And she currently runs a not-for-profit in White Plains called Heartsong that provides creative arts therapies for people with disabilities.
Photo Christian Falcone
She received her bachelor’s in fine arts and her master’s in early childhood education from Sarah Lawrence University.
“We all would be dedicated to making sure that it stays a fabulous place to live, work and play,” Anderson said about her running mates. “There are things for people of all ages to do in Rye.
“It’s just an amazing community that has maintained a really wonderful flavor.”
Ward, 57, is currently filling out the remainder of Ben Stacks’ unexpired term. He joined the council in January after running unopposed in November when his opponent, Rick McCabe, dropped out of the race. Previously, Ward was the chairman of the city Sustainability Committee.
His priorities if he wins a full term are developing a new comprehensive plan for Rye, containing costs as much as possible, and balancing the city budget, he said.
After running on his own last year, the Democrat said he is happy to be a part of a powerful ticket.
“We obviously pledge to listen to people, it’s a hallmark for Josh [Nathan] and I currently,” Ward told The Record. “Just listening and setting a great temperament in the City Council and working for the people of Rye to get things done.”
Professionally, he works at a hedge fund in Stanford, Conn., and moved to Rye in 2011.
Incumbent Mayor Josh Cohn, who is no longer affiliated with either political party, is not expected to seek reelection, according to sources. And Councilwoman Julie Souza, a Democrat who no longer has the backing of party leadership, told The Record she will not run again.
City Republicans have yet to announce their slate of candidates although it is widely speculated that Councilman Bill Henderson — whose term expires this year — will run for mayor and McCabe is considering resuming his run for council.
Republicans have not controlled the council since the final days of ex-mayor Joe Sack’s administration in 2017. And Democrats have dealt with warring factions on the council for several years as Cohn’s relationship with party leaders has soured.
The general election will take place on Nov. 4.
Members of the City Council are elected to four-year terms and receive no compensation for their service.
