Government & Politics

Election 2024: The Great Tarrytown Divide

Published 2 weeks ago2w ago • Bookmarks: 78

The squiggly line up the middle of Tarrytown separates voters in the 16th Congressional District from those in the 17th

September 27, 2024

By Solace Church–

Tarrytown is the only village in Westchester County that is split between two congressional districts, CD-16 and CD-17. In the current configuration, there are 3,262 voting Tarrytowners living in CD-16 and 4,163 living in CD-17. The invisible line that separates these districts runs seemingly randomly through the village, often splitting neighborhoods.

The big difference is that those living in the 16^th District get to choose between Republican Dr. Miriam Flisser and Democrat George Latimer, while those in the 17^th District choose between Republican Mike Lawler and Democrat Mondaire Jones.

Support our Sponsors

There are sections of the village that are solidly in one district. Everything south of the New York State Thruway, down to the Irvington border, for example, is completely within the 16th District. Similarly, everything that lies both west of Broadway and north of the Thruway, is solidly in the CD-17.

The southern part of dividing line basically follows the Thruway –but with exceptions

It is the area north of the Thruway, but east of Broadway, where the boundary weaves its way back and forth through—and sometimes off of—the streets of the village.

After crossing the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge into Tarrytown, the 17th District is on one’s left (north), and the 16th District is on the right (south). Following along the district line northward, everything on the left is in the 17th district and everything on the right is in the 16th district.

The boundary continues briefly down the Thruway until the South Broadway bridge passes over I-87/287, at which point the boundary goes north on Broadway, and then quickly cuts right on White Plains Road (rte. 119). The boundary then veers off the road, diagonally, in between Sawyer Ave and 100 White Plains Rd, back to the Thruway.

The boundary continues (with 17th on left and 16th on right), until it crosses over Meadow St. heading north to White Plains Rd. This means the neighborhood off Millbrook Ave. and Meadow St. (north of the interstate) is a part of the 17th District.

One of two places where the line goes off-road: the private road leading to Ridgecroft Estates.

The boundary then turns left onto White Plains Rd., but just for a moment before turning right on the private road next to the Tower Ladder 78 Fire Station. That off-road excursion links White Plains Rd. to Martling Ave. As a result, apartments in Sleepy Hollow Gardens are part of CD-16 while Ridgecroft Estates fall in the 17^th.

To follow the line, turn left onto Martling Ave. until it meets up with Prospect Ave. and turns east for a few hundred yards before swinging northward into Heritage Hill Rd. At the northern end of Heritage Hill, it turns right (east) onto Leroy Ave.

As a result, all the houses on Leroy Ave. east of the Heritage Hill intersection are in the 16th District, while the rest of the homes west of Heritage Hill are in the 17th District.

Near the top of Leroy, there’s a bridge that the boundary crosses onto Loh Ave, a short, steep conduit to Benedict Ave. At the top, it veers left (westbound), headed towards the river. Everyone on the left is in 16; everyone on the right is in 17.

It gets simpler from here when the boundary turns right onto Grove St. As you head north on Grove, the homes on the left are in 16; those uphill on the right are in 17.

That is until the boundary jogs left on E Elizabeth St. for a brief moment before heading right along the Old Croton Aqueduct between Archer and Grove.

For one block between East Elizabeth and Neperan, the line follows the Old Croton Aqueduct

This means all Archer Plaza residents are in the 17th District, while Grove St. residents north of E. Elizabeth St are in the 16th District.

The boundary reaches Neperan Rd., where it goes right, up to the top where it meets Warren Ave (which becomes Wilson Park Drive), then goes right on County House Rd, and then along the outside of the Reservoir. North of that is no longer Tarrytown.

Looking north on Grove at Elizabeth Street

Voters who live close to the line at any point are invited to join an election focus group, hosted by The Hudson Independent on a mutually agreeable date in mid-October. Not everyone who volunteers will necessarily be selected, as one goal in forming the group is to reflect as closely as possible the party affiliations of the village as a whole. If interested, please email editor@thehudsonindependent.com with your name, address, party affiliation and contact information.

Read or leave a comment on this story...

Support our Sponsors