DUTCHESS COUNTY — Unofficial election results as of 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7, indicated several races that are too close to call.
All four Democratic candidates for the New York Supreme Court, District 19, were elected, with Francesca Connolly garnering the most votes. In other countywide elections, only two incumbents ran for office. Republican Brad Kendall, county clerk since 2007, beat Kenya Gadsden by 53.57% to 46.38%. Unofficial results indicate that incumbent Family Court Judge Joseph Egitto may have edged out Democrat James Rogers 50.61% to 49.33% with strong 8.05% support on the Conservative Line. Although not an incumbent, well-known former state senator Sue Serino won over political first-timer Democrat Tommy Zurhellen 56.61% to 43.33%.
In the hotly contested race to replace William Grady after four decades as county district attorney, Anthony Parisi beat Matthew Weishaupt in a close 51.66% to 48.29% race, with the Working Families and Conservative lines tipping the balance.
With the help of Working Families voters, Democrat and first-time candidate Chris Drago may have upset popular Republican Gregg Pulver for the District 19 Dutchess County Legislature seat by 50.68% to 49.11%, a margin of only 60 votes. District 19 is composed of the towns of North East, Stanford, Pine Plains and Milan. Although Pulver had strong Republican support of 47.26% over Drago’s 44.99% on the Democratic line, Pulver’s name did not appear on the Conservative line. Given Drago’s narrow margin, a recount may be called.
In Dutchess County Legislative District 25, which includes Amenia, Washington, Pleasant Valley and Millbrook, incumbent Republican Deirdre Houston easily won over Democrat Nallely Hanna 57.93% to 42.03%.
Results in town board races in an off year showed the difference that a few votes make in a local election. In the Town of Amenia’s race for town supervisor, Leo Blackman seems to have prevailed over Republican and longtime Town Supervisor Victoria Perotti by 1.78%, a difference of only 26 votes. The last-minute write-in campaign led by management consultant Munawar Ahmed received 123 votes, so the final outcome remains unclear.
In the race for two seats on the Amenia Town Board, longtime incumbent Vicki Doyle received 533 votes and may have been edged out by Republican Paul Winters with 541 votes, including 53 on the Common Ground line. Democrat and former schoolteacher Rosanna Hamm received 638 votes, which assures her place on the board.
In the Town of North East, Town Supervisor Christopher Kennan ran unopposed. He received 440 votes on the Democratic line and 256 on the Republican line. Town Clerk Elizabeth “Tilly” Strauss and Town Justice Dennis Johnson also ran unopposed.
The race for three town board seats—two four-year spots and one two-year spot—was also intended to be uncontested with Lana Morrison and Chris Mayville running for the four-year seats, and Meg Winkler for the two-year term; however, the printed ballot had the three candidates vying for the two four-year terms and no candidate for the two-year term.
The results were 673 votes for Morrison, 415 for Winkler and 332 for Mayville for the four-year term. No candidate’s name appeared on the ballot for the two-year term, but there were 159 write-ins. Until the write-ins are counted, it’s unclear who the winner is for the two-year seat. If it’s Winkler, she will have the choice to pick the four-year seat or the two-year seat.
In Pine Plains, Republican Town Supervisor Brian Walsh ran unopposed, as did Town Clerk Madelin DaFoe, who was endorsed by both Republicans and Democrats. In the Town Board contest, Democrats Jeanine Sisco and Kevin Walsh overcame Republicans James Smith and Paul Murphy. In Pine Plains the Highway Department superintendent is an elected position, and Democrat Carl Baden easily overpowered Lisa Ambrose, the Republican candidate, 75.87% to 23.88%.
In the election of town justice, Pine Plains voters did not completely vote the Democratic party line and elected Richard Brenner, a former deputy sheriff and a real estate agent, with 54.19%, opposed by Democratic attorney Stella Isaza with 45.56%.
The Town of Washington remained solidly Republican in this election. Town Clerk Christine Briggs, Town Justice Carol Poles, and highway Superintendent Joseph Spagnola all ran unopposed as Republicans. In the Town Board election for two seats, Republican incumbents Joseph Rochfort and Robert Audia easily overcame Adam Brandow, the only Democrat running for office.
Wendy Burton will remain Supervisor of Stanford, edging out contender Bill Harkendale 730 votes to his 571. Town Board results: (for two seats); Julia Descoteaux (D) 663 and Eric Haims (D) 644 , against Adrienne Zetterberg (R) 612 and Joe Coleclough, (R) 616.Jim Meyers, Highway Superintendent, Dennis Bucheral, Town Justice and RitaMary Bell, Town Clerk all ran uncontested races.
— Judith O’Hara Balfe reporting from Stanford, NY.
