Sound Shore

Rev. Allen Weaver of Bethesda Baptist Church in New Rochelle confirmed that Democrats — including Mayor Noam Bramson, council members Barry Fertel and Marianne Sussman, and the 20 District 3 Democratic district leaders — are meeting tonight at his church to consider candidates for the Nov. 2 special election to fill the late council member James Stowe’s seat. They are also expected to discuss what to do in the interim, as the winner of that election would not be seated until January.

Weaver said that, in discussions last week, the district leaders had supported the idea of filling the seat by appointment with whomever wins the Nov. 2 election, and leaving the seat open until then. But he said they were also “comfortable” with appointing Roxie Stowe to her late husband’s seat — an idea pitched publicly by Bramson and his fellow council Democrats yesterday — if she was willing to serve (which Bramson says she is). Weaver is not personally a district leader, but his church and home are within the district.

As for the suggestion by GOP council members, particularly Richard St. Paul, that Democrats were using “Jim Crow tactics” and disenfranchising voters in the district, Weaver said St. Paul “is not representative of our district.”

“What we are saying from our district is: Let us make that decision” on filling the seat, he said.

Democrats reportedly have about six people who have voiced interest in the seat. Weaver said one name he has not heard in active contention is that of Greg Varian, who recently lost a special election for a county legislature seat.