Sea Cliff Mayor Reelected After Pirate’s Booty Founder’s Unorthodox Mayoral Claim

Elena Villafane retained her position decisively while Robert Ehrlich continues to assert his claim to the mayoralty despite losing by a wide margin.

Robert Ehrlich, founder of Pirate's Booty, attempted to declare himself mayor of Sea Cliff, citing the Citizen Empowerment Act without providing evidence of valid petition signatures.
Ehrlich's actions on March 10 caused significant disruption at Village Hall, requiring police intervention but resulting in no arrests.
In the March 18 election, incumbent Mayor Elena Villafane won decisively with 1,064 votes compared to Ehrlich’s 62 as a write-in candidate.
Despite his loss, Ehrlich claims to be the mayor of a self-declared government entity and plans to pursue his claims through legal or other means.
Villafane condemned Ehrlich’s actions, reaffirming her commitment to lawful governance and warning against further disruptions to the village’s operations.