Aymar-Blair edges ahead in Comptroller race; Hinchey, Barrett win

A previous version of this article reported early, unofficial results of the county comptroller race which did not include absentee and mail-in ballots.

MILLERTON — Democratic incumbents State Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Didi Barrett won reelection on Tuesday, Nov. 5., according to unofficial results of the Dutchess County Board of Elections.

State Sen. Hinchey, D-41, outpaced Republican challenger Patrick Sheehan with 55% of the vote compared to Sheehan’s 45%. Assemblymember Barrett, D-106, defeated Republican challenger Stephan Krakower by 54% to 45%.

As of Friday morning, Nov. 15, Democrat challenger Dan Aymar-Blair was ahead of Republican A. Gregg Pulver by 850 votes in the race for county Comptroller, according to the Board of Elections.

Pulver, a Republican, was appointed Comptroller in November 2023 by then County Executive William F.X. O’Neill following the resignation of Robin Lois.

The Board of Elections is scheduled to certify the 2024 elections on Nov. 30, and continues to count affidavit and military ballots as well as mail-in ballots.

Municipal elections were held in North East, Amenia, Millbrook and Stanford.

In North East, Republican Christopher L. Mayville, a current Town Board member, defeated Democrat Rachele Grieco Cole by a margin of 53% to 47%. The election was for an unexpired term on the Board.

In Amenia, Nicole Ahearn, a Republican, defeated Charlie Miller, a Democrat challenging her for her seat. Ahearn had 55% of the vote, compared to Miller’s 45%

In Millbrook, Peter Doro was elected Mayor with 95% of the vote in an uncontested race. In a race for two seats as Millbrook Village Trustees, Democrat Julia Bucklin received 27% of the vote and Republican Elizabeth Molella Socci won 24.95%. Democrat Shannon Mawson trailed with 24.75%. Republican Kay Vanderlyn Ulrich won 23% of the vote.

In Stanford, Adrienne Zetterberg, a Republican, won election for an unexpired term on the Town Board by 50% to 49%, defeating Democrat Theodore Eagleson Secor.

Amenia voters also approved a proposal on the ballot to increase the town’s contribution to the operating budget of the Amenia Free Library by a 60% to 40% margin.

Similarly, voters in North East voted 72% to 28% to increase the level of support for the NorthEast-Millerton Libary in Millerton.
A third proposition, which was before voters in the Town of Washington to increase the contribution of the town to the Millbrook Library, also passed by a 56% to 44% vote.

A New York State proposal, called Prop One, also passed by a 57% to 43% margin in Dutchess County. The proposal protects against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and sex.

All results are unofficial as ballots continue to be counted.