Village Incumbents Kick Off Election Campaign

The Better Babylon party is kicking off its 2011 election campaign with a spanking new slogan and logo, and incumbent candidates vow to keep improving the quality of life in the village.

Incumbent Mayor Ralph Scordino, and trustees Debbie Basile and Anthony Davida are seeking re-election to their posts on March 15. Each candidate addressed a gathering of about 50 party supporters Thursday night at village hall before party loyalists were provided instructions on how to obtain election petition signatures and curry support from village residents.

The elected roles are four-year terms. All three candidates have served for the past eight years and are vying for their third term in office. Election petitions can be filed starting February 1 with February 8 as the cut-off date.

Candidates are required to obtain 100 verified petition signatures in order to get on the voting ballot. In the most recent election two years ago the Better Babylon Party collected 1,550 signatures for trustees Kevin Muldowney, Alice Vanderveldt and Justice John Rafter who were all re-elected.

Village resident and local attorney Darryl Conway, who lost in his trustee bid in the past election, told Patch late Thursday evening that he will not be vying for office this year.

"I would have had to start working back in November and due to my legal practice workload I'm not going to run this year," Conway said.

Once petitions are filed with the village clerk's office, the names and signatures are verified by a legal professional. A signature can be deemed  invalid if it does not match the name a resident used in voter registration documents.

Launching the petition drive a month early is the typical strategy for the Better Babylon Party, says Jack Conroy, a party member since his brother Don founded the party in 1987. Don Conroy served as village mayor from 1987 until 2002 when he passed away from liver cancer.

The party was formed to keep a good quality of life and improve the village, explained Conroy.

"My mother always loved to say he [Don] was in love with the village," recalled Conroy.

Party members are asked to gather signatures in their neighborhood with a specific strategy: the first visit is to provide a printed color flyer introducing the candidates and their background. A return visit is to get the signature, said Conroy.

"We also ask them to talk to the residents about issues and share that with us during the petition process so that candidates can help address that feedback," he said.

As part of the campaign effort the party will be distributing new decals declaring a "I Love Babylon Village" logo and design that note the party's name. The decals can be adhered to car windows, bumpers and home windows, said Conroy.

Trustee Vanderveldt is in charge of organizing coffee 'klatches' during the campaign and urged supporters to host such an event in order to gain party support. The candidates attend the katches to listen to residents' concerns, she said.

The party will also hold a fundraiser on Thursday, February 24, at Lily Flanagan's pub on Deer Park Avenue at 7 p.m.

Scordino, who served as deputy mayor for 16 years under Conroy and the past eight years as mayor, says this year's campaign focus is the same as the first one many years ago.

"It's about doing what best for the village and residents."