PARSIPPANY — Mahendra Patel has been elected the new Chair of the Parsippany Democratic Committee, defeating Tom Wyka by a vote of 40 to 29 in an electronic election held June 27. Sangeeta Desai was elected Secretary unopposed, receiving all 64 votes cast, with 5 abstentions.
The election was triggered by the resignation of longtime Chair Matt Clarkin, who announced Friday, June 26, that he was stepping down after 10 years leading the committee.
“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. With all of those goals now accomplished, I will be stepping down as Chair upon the election of a successor this Saturday,” said Matt Clarkin.
The transition follows a landmark 2025 general election in which Democrats gained a majority on the Parsippany Council and the mayor’s office flipped blue, bringing Mayor Pulkit Desai, Council Vice President Diya Patel, and Councilman Matt Kavanagh to the dais. Former Mayor James Barberio was ousted after 12 non-consecutive years leading the township.
Mayor Desai praised Clarkin’s tenure in a congratulatory statement.
“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. The election of Parsippany’s first Indian-American Mayor and the increasing representation of our township’s diverse communities did not happen by accident,” said Mayor Pulkit Desai.
Desai cited his mayoral victory as Parsippany’s first Indian-American Mayor as a result of “years of relationship building, outreach and a belief that leadership should reflect the communities it serves.”
