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Ken Jenkins (politician)

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Ken Jenkins
10th County Executive of Westchester County
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 6, 2025
DeputyRichard G. Wishnie[1]
Preceded byRichard G. Wishnie (acting)
Deputy County Executive of Westchester County
In office
January 1, 2017 – January 6, 2025
Preceded byKevin Plunkett
Succeeded byVacant
Chair of the Westchester County Board of Legislators
In office
January 1, 2010 – December 31, 2013
Preceded byWilliam J. Ryan
Succeeded byMike Kaplowitz
Member of the Westchester County Board of Legislators
from the 16th district
In office
January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2017
Preceded byAndrea Stewart-Cousins
Succeeded byChristopher A. Johnson
Personal details
Born1962
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Deborah Hudson-Jenkins
​
​
(m. 1987)​
Children3
ResidenceYonkers, New York
EducationIona University (BS)
ProfessionPolitician, realtor
Website

Kenneth W. Jenkins is an American politician who has been serving as the 10th and current County Executive of Westchester County since January 6, 2025. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

He previously served as Deputy County Executive, but after his predecessor, George Latimer, resigned on January 2, 2025 to take his seat as member of Congress for New York's 16th district, lawmakers selected Jenkins to fill the position until a special election in February 2025. He is the first Black person to serve as Westchester County Executive.[2]

Early life and career

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Jenkins graduated from Iona University in New Rochelle, New York with a bachelor's degree in computer science and information systems in 1995. He had previously attended Fordham Preparatory School in Bronx, New York. After graduating college, Jenkins held various technical and administrative positions at companies including Verizon New York and Apple.[3]

Jenkins also served as the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Yonkers branch. However, he was asked to stand down from his position in 1995 after he joined former Yonkers Mayor Terence M. Zaleski at a press event where he said busing students had "outlived its usefulness" in the city. Jenkins's comments were met with criticism by organisation leaders who argued busing policies were necessary to pursue desegregation policies in Yonkers. The NAACP executive branch upheld Jenkins's suspension as president and barred him from holding any other leadership position for four years.[4]

Political career

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Jenkins formally entered county politics in 2006 when he succeeded Andrea Stewart-Cousins on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, representing the 16th district which includes much of western Yonkers.[5] Jenkins was elected as Chairman of the Board of Legislators in 2010 and served in the post until 2013.[6]

In 2016, Jenkins announced he would challenge incumbent Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino in the next year's election.[7] He had previously run for county executive in 2013, but lost the Democratic nomination to New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson.[8] Jenkins and Astorino had clashed multiple times during the former's tenure as Board of Legislators chairman in lawsuits including ones challenging Astorino's capital projects, county transportation and his authority to oversee the management of Playland Amusement Park.[9] However, Jenkins lost his primary bid for county executive to then-State Senator Latimer, who also went on to unseat Astorino.[10] However, after taking office Latimer appointed Jenkins as deputy county executive.[11] While serving as deputy county executive, Jenkins also held a number of other positions including Chair of the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission and Treasurer of the New York State Democratic Committee.[12]

Latimer resigned as Westchester County Executive on January 2, 2025 after being elected to Congress to represent New York's 16th congressional seat.[13] Latimer was briefly succeeded by County Emergency Services Commissioner Richard G. Wishnie,[14] but county legislators unanimously voted for Jenkins to serve as executive until a special election could be held on February 11, 2025.[15] Jenkins had previously announced he would run in that special election after Latimer won his congressional race.[16]

Electoral results

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Westchester County Executive, 2013 Democratic Primary Election (First Round)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Noam Bramson 90,020 49.53%
Democratic Ken Jenkins 77,224 42.49%
Democratic William Ryan 14,489 7.97%
Total votes 181,733 100.00
Westchester County Executive, 2013 Democratic Primary Election (Second Round)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Noam Bramson 97,951 54.97%
Democratic Kenneth Jenkins 80,249 45.03%
Total votes 181,733 100.00
Westchester County Executive, 2017 Democratic Primary Election[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George S. Latimer 24,466 62.6
Democratic Ken Jenkins 14,316 36.7
Total votes 39,057 100.0

References

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  1. ^ "Richard G. Wishnie Appointed Westchester Deputy County Executive". Westchester County. Westchester County. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  2. ^ Nandy, Ben. "Ken Jenkins becomes Westchester's first African American county executive". News 12 Westchester. Altice USA. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Meet Ken Jenkins". Ken Jenkins for Westchester County Executive. Jenkins for Westchester. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  4. ^ Brenner, Elsa (25 February 1996). "N.A.A.C.P. Upholds Suspension of Jenkins". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Westchester County Board of Legislators". Westchester County Board of Legislators. Wayback Machine. 29 June 2007.
  6. ^ "Ken Jenkins, District 16". Westchester County Board of Legislators. Internet Archive. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  7. ^ Lungariello, Mark. "Jenkins to run for Westchester County executive". The Journal News. Gannett Co., Inc. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  8. ^ Donnelly, Brian (24 April 2013). "New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson Gets Nomination For County Executive". Armonk Daily Voice. Cantata Media LLC. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  9. ^ Ganga, Elizabeth. "Jenkins seeks outside lawyers to continue lawsuits against Astorino (updated)". The Journal News. Gannett Co., Inc. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  10. ^ Woyton, Michael (13 September 2017). "Latimer Wins Democratic Primary Over Jenkins". Rye, NY Patch. Patch Media. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  11. ^ "Resolution - 2018". Westchester County Board of Legislators. Westchester County Board of Legislators. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  12. ^ "Meet Ken Jenkins". Ken Jenkins for Westchester County Executive. Ken Jenkins for Westchester. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  13. ^ "Westchester County Executive George Latimer Officially Resigns from Office". Westchester County. Westchester County. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  14. ^ "Board Chair Names Richard G. Wishnie Acting County Executive". Westchester County Board of Legislators. Westchester County Board of Legislators. 2 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  15. ^ "Board Votes in Kenneth W. Jenkins as County Executive". Westchester County Board of Legislators. Westchester County Board of Legislators. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  16. ^ Stockler, Asher. "Ken Jenkins announces bid for Westchester County executive as Latimer heads to Congress". The Journal News. Gannett Co., Inc. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  17. ^ "2017 primary election results" (PDF). CitizenParticipation.Westchestergov.com. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
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