Incumbent trustees retain seats

Brockport Mayor Mary Ann Thorpe has lost her bid for a third term as mayor to Josephine Matela by a vote of 556 to 502.

The June 19 election saw the largest village voter turnout - 1,034 out of a registered pool of 3,163 - in several years. The village population is roughly 8,000 people. Last year’s three-way race for two trustee seats brought out only half has many voters – 531. In the last mayoral race in 1997, Thorpe received 590 of the 842 ballots cast. An uncontested trustee election in 1994 brought only 50 residents to the polls.

With six candidates vying for two trustee seats this year, the two incumbents, Norman Knapp and James Whipple, were re-elected. Knapp received 556 votes and Whipple 449. Vote tallies for other candidates were: Norman Giancursio – 435, John Bush – 376; Jeff Black – 133; and Hector Roman – 117.

Thorpe was originally appointed to the village board by Mayor Jim Stull to fill the unexpired term of a trustee seat. Stull later appointed her vice-mayor. Eight years ago, she became Brockport’s first woman mayor.

Matela will be sworn in as mayor in July.