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Mahendra Patel elected chair of Parsippany Democratic Committee
Mahendra Patel elected chair of Parsippany Democratic Committee
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Staff Reporter - Sun, 28, Jun 2026
- 03:41 EDT
- 113
Mahendra Patel / Parsippany Democratic Committee
Indian American Mahendra Patel was elected chair of the Parsippany Democratic Committee on June 27, defeating Tom Wyka 40-29 in an electronic election held after longtime Chair Matt Clarkin resigned following a decade in the role.
Patel's election came a day after Clarkin announced he would step down after serving as committee chair for 10 years. The leadership transition follows the committee's 2025 election successes, when Democrats won control of the mayor's office and secured a majority on the Parsippany Township Council.
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Another Indian American, Sangeeta Desai was elected committee secretary unopposed, receiving all 64 votes cast, with five abstentions.
Clarkin said his decision to step aside reflected the goals he had set for the party when he became chair.
"I wanted our party to flip the Mayor's office, I wanted our party to flip the Township Council. And I wanted an open and participative place in our party for our township's minority communities, particularly our large Indian community," Clarkin said, according to Parsippany Focus. "With all of those goals now accomplished, I will be stepping down as Chair upon the election of a successor this Saturday."
The leadership change comes after the 2025 general election, in which Democrats gained control of the Township Council and won the mayor's office. The results brought Mayor Pulkit Desai, Council Vice President Diya Patel and Councilman Matt Kavanagh into office, while former Mayor James Barberio was defeated after serving a total of 12 nonconsecutive years as mayor.
In a congratulatory statement, Mayor Desai credited Clarkin with expanding opportunities for new leaders within the party.
"One of the most significant accomplishments of Matt's tenure was helping create pathways for a new generation of leaders, including people from diverse backgrounds, to step forward and serve," Desai said.
"The election of Parsippany's first Indian-American Mayor and the increasing representation of our township's diverse communities did not happen by accident," he added.
Desai said his election as Parsippany's first Indian American mayor was the result of "years of relationship building, outreach and a belief that leadership should reflect the communities it serves."
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