Sixth LGBTQ Mayor Elected in Palm Beach County

Following a landslide victory in today's election, Boynton Beach Mayor-Elect Ty Penserga will become the sixth openly LGBTQ mayor in Palm Beach County history.

Ty Penserga at the Boynton Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection

Prior to his election as Mayor, Penserga served as Vice Mayor and as a City Commissioner for Boynton Beach. Born in the Philippines and raised in Boynton Beach, Penserga graduated from Temple University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Biology. While in college, he served as Senator representing the College of Science to Temple’s Student Government. He received the prestigious Diamond Award for his leadership, community service, and the creation of a longitudinal mentoring pipeline to uplift underprivileged teens.   After graduating, Penserga returned to Palm Beach County to work as a high school teacher, teaching both Chemistry and Biology to hundreds of students. He later attended Florida Atlantic University to earn his Master’s degree in Integrative Biology, and is currently working to complete his Ph.D. in Neuroscience.

"Over the past two decades, lesbians and gay men have served as mayors in five out of Palm Beach County's thirty-nine municipalities,"  said Rand Hoch, President and Founder of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council Voters Alliance "At least ten more openly LGBTQ people in Palm Beach County have served as vice mayors, city commissioners and city council members."

The five other openly LGBTQ mayors who have served in Palm Beach County are:

Denise Bleau Mayor of Lantana from 1997 to 1999.

Tom Gerrard Mayor of Manalapan from 2008 to 2010.

Betty James Mayor of Cloud Lake from 2007 to 2011

J. P. Sasser Mayor of Pahokee from 2002 to 2008 and from 2010 to 2013.

Myra Koutzen Mayor of Palm Beach Shores from 2016 to 2020.

Other LGBTQ people in Palm Beach County currently serving in elected office include Haverhill Town Council Member Ray Caranci, Lake Worth Beach City Commissioner Sarah Par Malega, and Manalapan Town Commissioner John Deese. Over the years, three openly LGBTQ elected officials in Palm Beach County -- Andy Amoroso of Lake Worth, Kendall Rumsey of Lake Park, and John Greene of Wellington -- have served their municipalities as vice mayors.  Several other openly LGBTQ people -- including Jo-Ann Golden and Ryan Maier of Lake Worth Beach, Tonya Davis Johnson of Riviera Beach, and David Smith of West Palm Beach -- have been elected to serve as commissioners.of their municipalities

"With openly LGBT people having been elected in one-third of our municipalities, it is clear -- at least here in Palm Beach County -- that one's sexual orientation is not a disqualifier to holding elected office," said Hoch.

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