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Lillian DeBaptiste
62nd Mayor of West Chester
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2022
Preceded byJordan Norley
Personal details
BornLillian Louise DeBaptiste (1951-11-15) November 15, 1951 (age 72)
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseThomas D. Lambert Sr.
Children5
ParentClifford DeBaptiste
EducationWest Chester University (Graduate in Psychology)

Lillian Louise DeBaptiste (born November 15, 1951) is an American politician and funeral director. A Democrat, she is currently serving as Mayor of West Chester, the seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania. She is the borough's first black female mayor.

Early life and education

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DeBaptiste graduated from both Henderson High School and West Chester University in psychology.[1][2]

Professional career

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DeBaptiste has been a funeral director at her family's funeral home, DeBaptiste Funeral Homes, since 1973. The business has a location in West Chester and another in Bryn Mawr.[3][4] She runs a banquet hall as well. Called Milestone Events, it is located next door to their West Chester funeral home.[2][5][6]

Political career

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On February 7, 2021, DeBaptiste announced her candidacy for Mayor of West Chester.[7] She won the Democratic primary, defeating the incumbent interim mayor Jordan Norley and a third candidate, Kyle Hudson.[8] DeBaptiste went on to win the general election in November and became the borough's first black female mayor on January 3, 2022.[9][10]

DeBaptiste endorsed Malcolm Kenyatta for the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race.[11][12]

DeBaptiste announced that she would co-sponsor West Chester's first annual Porchfest, along with the West Chester Green Team. It was held on May 21, 2022.[13][14][15]

She also continued the Police Department Diversity Task Force, a borough committee started by her predecessor that hopes to raise trust in the West Chester Police Department by making it more ethnically diverse.[16]

Electoral history

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Mayor of West Chester, PA, 2021[8][17]

Democratic primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lillian L. DeBaptiste 997 51.87%
Democratic Jordan Norley (Incumbent) 665 34.60%
Democratic Kyle Hudson 250 13.01%
Write-in 10 0.52%
Total votes 1,922 100.00%
Mayor of West Chester, Pennsylvania, 2021
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lillian L. DeBaptiste 2,116 63.52%
Libertarian Beth Ann Rosica 543 16.30%
Liberty for All Eric R. Lorgus 659 19.78%
Write-in 13 0.39%
Total votes 3,331 100.00%
Democratic hold

Personal life

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DeBaptiste is married to Thomas D. Lambert Sr. The couple lives in West Chester. They have five children and four grandchildren together.[1] DeBaptiste is the daughter of former mayor Clifford DeBaptiste, who served as the borough's first black mayor from 1994 to 2002 as a Republican.[18][19] Active in her community, DeBaptiste has worked with the Charles A. Melton Arts & Education Center, the Chester County Community Foundation, and her local Planned Parenthood branch.[20][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "DeBaptiste announces candidacy for West Chester mayor". Daily Local. 2021-02-05. Archived from the original on 2021-03-03.
  2. ^ a b c "150 Most Influential Women of WCU - West Chester University". www.wcupa.edu. Retrieved 2022-04-17.
  3. ^ "History & Staff". DeBaptiste Funeral Homes. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  4. ^ "Mayor Lillian DeBaptiste". citylifestyle.com. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
  5. ^ "DeBaptiste throws her hat in for West Chester mayor job". Daily Local. 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  6. ^ "Milestone Events | Welcome". www.milestonemoments.net. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  7. ^ "DeBaptiste Announces Candidacy for West Chester Mayor". Lillian DeBaptiste for Mayor. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  8. ^ a b "Official Results 2021 Municipal Primary Chester". chesco.org. June 4, 2021.
  9. ^ "DeBaptiste takes over as new West Chester mayor". Daily Local. 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  10. ^ "West Chester Weekly News Roundup". Hello, West Chester. 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  11. ^ "Endorsements in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race keep stacking up". City & State Pennsylvania. 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  12. ^ "Underdog candidate for US Senate visits West Chester". Daily Local. 2022-02-19. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  13. ^ "West Chester Porchfest". West Chester Porchfest. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  14. ^ "West Chester Green Team". West Chester Green Team. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  15. ^ "West Chester's Porchfest on May 21 to feature 52 musical acts". Daily Local. 2022-05-19. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
  16. ^ "West Chester Police Department Diversity Task Force | West Chester Borough, PA - Official Website". www.west-chester.com. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  17. ^ "Official Chester County 2021 Municipal Summary Results Report". chesco.org. November 22, 2021.
  18. ^ "Small Talk: Some living Black History: Former West Chester Mayor Clifford DeBaptiste". Delco Times. 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2022-02-19.
  19. ^ "Lillian DeBaptiste wins election!!". Lillian DeBaptiste for Mayor. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  20. ^ "Lillian DeBaptiste". Downtown West Chester PA. 2021-05-04. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
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