hill country observerThe independent newspaper of eastern New York, southwestern Vermont and the Berkshires

 

News & Issues December 2021-January 2022

 

E L E C T I O N 2 0 2 1

 

Here are the results of the key races and ballot questions decided by voters in the Nov. 2 elections in Massachusetts and New York. A guide to political party abbreviations is in the box at right. In the tables below, incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*), and winning candidates are in bold type.


A brief summary follows the candidate listings for each county. Because of space limitations, municipal-level races below the level of mayor or town supervisor are omitted except in the region’s most populous communities.


The vote totals shown are final tallies, including absentee ballots, except for those in Rensselaer County and for New York’s statewide ballot questions, where only unofficial, election-night results were available as of late November.


MASSACHUSETTS

BERKSHIRE COUNTY

 

North Adams mayor
Lynette Bond ....................................... 1,484 (46.9%)
Jennifer Macksey ................................ 1,682 (53.1%)

 

North Adams City Council (9 seats)
Jennifer Barbeau ............................................ 1,285
* Lisa Blackmer .............................................. 1,706
* Keith Bona ................................................... 1,740
Marie Harpin .................................................. 1,611

Barbara Ellen Murray ........................................ 1,139
Michael Obasohan .......................................... 1,508
* Peter Oleskiewicz ......................................... 1,745

Jesse Lee Egan Poirier ........................................ 1,016
* Brian Sapienza ............................................. 1,624
Ashley Shade ................................................... 1,245

Heidi Shartrand-Newell ..................................... 1,124
Ronald Sheldon .................................................... 537
Joseph Smith ......................................................... 884
* Wayne Wilkinson .......................................... 1,404

 

Macksey will become the first woman to serve as mayor of North Adams when she takes over Jan. 3 from two-term incumbent Tom Bernard, who opted not to run again.
The mayor-elect is assistant superintendent of operations and finance at the North Berkshire School Union. She previously served in several roles at City Hall in the administration of longtime Mayor John Barrett III, who ran the city for 26 years before losing a re-election bid in 2009. Barrett, now the state representative for the northern Berkshires, was a supporter of Macksey’s campaign.
Bond, a member of the city Planning Board, is director of development for grants and research at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Her campaign had the support of former Mayor Richard Alcombright, who defeated Barrett in 2009 and again in a 2015 rematch.
Municipal elections in Massachusetts are nonpartisan.


NEW YORK

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

 

Proposal 1 -- Apportionment and redistricting
A yes vote would have made a series of changes to the redistricting process voters approved by constitutional amendment in 2014. Many of the changes would have given the Legislature’s Democratic majority a stronger hand in crafting the state’s political maps. The 2014 amendment created an Independent Redistricting Commission to draw those lines.
Yes .................................................. 1,202,106 (44.2%)
No ............................................... 1,518,442 (55.8%)

Proposal 2 -- Right to clean air and water
A yes vote establishes for each New Yorker a constitutional right to “clean air and water and a healthful environment.”
The change was strongly supported by environmental groups, who say it will give private citizens, such as those who were affected by PFOA contamination in Hoosick Falls’ water, more power to go to court to seek prompt action against pollution, rather than having to wait for state agencies to act on their behalf. Opponents said the change would lead to unnecessary litigation and costs.
Yes .............................................. 1,904,636 (68.9%)
No ..................................................... 859,723 (31.1%)

 

Proposal 3 -- Advance voter registration
A yes vote would have deleted a constitutional provision that now requires anyone participating in an election to be registered at least 10 days in advance.
Yes ................................................... 1,179,674 (42.3%)
No ............................................... 1,608,177 (57.7%)

 

Proposal 4 -- No-excuse absentee voting
A yes vote would have deleted a constitutional provision that now requires voters obtaining absentee ballots to attest that they are unable to vote in person because of absence from their home county, illness or physical disability. Supporters said anyone should be able to vote by mail-in ballot as a matter of convenience.
Yes ................................................... 1,208,664 (43.5%)
No ............................................... 1,568,895 (56.5%)

 

Proposal 5 -- New York City Civil Court
A yes vote supported expanding the jurisdiction of New York City Civil Court by allowing it to hear and decide claims for up to $50,000 instead of the current limit of $25,000.
Yes ............................................... 1,675,853 (62.9%)
No ...................................................... 990,185 (37.1%)


COLUMBIA COUNTY

 

County sheriff
* David P. Bartlett (R, C) ...................... 9,453 (44.1%)
Donald J. Krapf (D, i) ....................... 12,007 (55.9%)

 

Claverack supervisor
Kathleen Proper (D, WF) ........................ 901 (42.6%)
* Clifford “Kippy” Weigelt (R, C) ....... 1,213 (57.4%)

 

Germantown supervisor
* Robert W. Beaury (D, C) ...................... 437 (46.0%)
David L. Helsley (R) .............................. 512 (54.0%)

 

Ghent supervisor
Mallory M. Mort (D, WF, i) .................. 1,084 (47.2%)
Craig Simmons (R, C, i) ..................... 1,215 (52.8%)

 

Hudson city treasurer
* Heather S. Campbell (D, i) .............. 1,027 (79.7%)
Michael Hofmann (WF) .......................... 261 (20.3%)

 

Hudson 2nd Ward supervisor
Tiffany Garriga (WF) ................................ 64 (24.4%)
* Abdus Miah (D, C) ............................. 198 (75.6%)

 

Hudson 2nd Ward alderman (2 seats)
Lee J. Bradshaw (R) ................................................ 20
Mohammed Rony (D) ........................................ 171
* Dewan Sarowar (D, C) .................................... 205

 

Hudson 5th Ward alderman (2 seats)
Rebecca R. Borrer (WF) ......................................... 69
Vicky Daskaloudi (D, i) ...................................... 272
* Dominic Merante (D, C) ................................. 245

 

Kinderhook supervisor
Matthew L. Nelson (D, i) .................... 1,372 (41.5%)
Timothy Ooms (R, C) ........................ 1,931 (58.5%)

 

Stuyvesant supervisor
Lee Jamison (D, WF) .............................. 286 (37.5%)
* Ron Knott (R, C) ............................... 477 (62.5%)

 

In the one of the bigger upsets in the region, Krapf, a sergeant in the county Sheriff’s Office, defeated Bartlett, the two-term incumbent sheriff, by a substantial margin.
During his campaign, Krapf pointed to what he said was poor morale in the Sheriff’s Office, and he called for beefed up training for officers -- including more training regarding implicit bias and cultural sensitivity.
Only six seats on the 23-member county Board of Supervisors were contested. Republicans candidates held on to open seats in Ghent and Kinderhook and won in Germantown. In Hudson, Mayor Kamal Johnson was unopposed for a second term.


RENSSELAER COUNTY

 

County executive
Sara J. McDermott (WF) ........................ 1,141 (3.0%)
* Steven F. McLaughlin (R, C) .......... 24,317 (63.0%)
Gwen Wright (D) ................................ 13,131 (34.0%)

 

County clerk
Jason A. Cloud (WF) ............................ 1,139 (3.0%)
Justan J. Foster (D) ............................ 11,610 (30.6%)
* Frank J. Merola (R, C) ................... 25,239 (66.4%)

 

Family Court judge
Anne L. Coonrad (D, WF) ................ 15,493 (41.3%)
* Jill Kehn (R, C) ............................. 22,028 (58.7%)

 

County legislator, District 2 (four seats; towns of East Greenbush, North Greenbush and Poestenkill)
* Robert W. Bayly (R, C) ................................. 5,025
* Leon B. Flacco (R, C) ................................... 5,295
* Thomas P. Grant (R, C) ................................ 5,203

Brenda Hammond (WF) ...................................... 392
* Kelly C. Hoffman (R, C) .............................. 5,553
Sally H. Lauletta (D, WF) .................................. 3,958
Jennifer L. Massey (D, WF) ................................ 4,234
Robert B. Poltras Jr. (D, WF) ............................. 3,780
Jack Rogers (D) .................................................. 3,824

 

County legislator, District 3 (three seats; towns of Brunswick, Pittstown and Schaghticoke)
Adriano C. Bongiorno (D) ................................ 2,137
* Daniel F. Casale (R, C) ................................. 5,631
* Kenneth Herrington (R, C) .......................... 5,585
William E. Maloney (R, C) .............................. 5,405

 

County legislator, District 4 (three seats; towns of Nassau, Sand Lake and Schodack)
* Scott H. Bendett (R, C) ................................ 4,951
Andrew M. Bulmer (D, WF) .............................. 3,294
Thomas Choquette (R, C) .............................. 4,750
Alexander R. Flood (D, WF) ............................. 3,208
* Robert R. Loveridge (R, C) .......................... 4,971
Shawntell E. Mills-Sanchez (D, WF) ................. 3,121

 

County legislator, District 5 (two seats; towns of Berlin, Grafton, Hoosick, Hoosick Falls, Petersburgh and Stephentown)
Gary Contessa (D) ............................................. 1,153
* Bruce Patire (R, C, WF) ............................... 2,685
* Jeff Wysocki (R, C, WF) ............................... 2,818

 

Poestenkill supervisor
* Keith A. Hammond (R, C) ................. 874 (60.4%)
Thomas J. Russell (D, i) .......................... 574 (39.6%)

 

Sand Lake supervisor
Garrett E. DeGraff (D, WF) ................. 1,252 (42.1%)
Scott F. Gallerie (R, C) ...................... 1,724 (57.9%)

 

Schodack supervisor
Charles J. Peter (R, C) ....................... 2,367 (55.6%)
Tracey Rex (D, WF) .............................. 1,893 (44.4%)

 

After narrowly winning his seat as county executive four years ago, McLaughlin handily won his bid for a second term, as voters seemed unmoved by a series of controversies that have swirled around him.
(The drama continued after the election when McLaughlin was criminally charged Dec. 1 after a lenghty investigation by the state attorney general’s office and the FBI. He faces two felony counts after prosecutors say he used thousands of dollars in campaign funds to settle a personal debt.)


SARATOGA COUNTY

 

County sheriff
Norman G. Boyes (WF) ....................... 7,257 (15.9%)
* Michael H. Zurlo (R, C) ................ 38,399 (84.1%)

 

Clifton Park town and county supervisor
Melissa L. Boxer (D, WF) ..................... 2,975 (32.7%)
* Philip Barrett (R, C) ....................... 6,125 (67.3%)

 

Malta supervisor
Mark E. Hammond (R, C) ................... 2,441(57.9%)
Michael J. Williams (D, WF) ................ 1,776 (42.1%)


Milton supervisor
Barbara A. Kerr (i) .................................. 727 (16.2%)
Scott T. Ostrander (R, C) ................... 2,271 (50.7%)

* Benny L. Zlotnick Jr. (D, i) ............... 1,480 (33.1%)

 

Saratoga Springs mayor
Robin O. Dalton (i) .................................. 576 (6.5%)
Ronald J. Kim (D, i) ........................... 4,319 (48.6%)
Maxwell Rosenbaum (WF) ......................... 56 (0.6%)
Heidi Owen West (R, C) ...................... 3,943 (44.3%)

 

Saratoga Springs county supervisor (two seats)
Bruce Altimar (WF) .............................................. 275
* Tara N. Gaston (D) ....................................... 4,460
Gabriel P. O’Brien (WF) ....................................... 142
John F. Safford (R, C) ........................................ 3,775
* Matthew E. Veitch (R, C) .............................. 4,334
Shaun D. Wiggins (D, i) .................................... 3,828

 

Saratoga Springs accounts commissioner
Samantha J. Guerra (R, C, WF) .......... 3,673 (42.2%)
Dillon C. Moran (D, i) ........................ 3,963 (45.5%)
Angela T. Rella (i) ............................... 1,073 (12.3%)

 

Saratoga Springs finance commissioner
Sierra J. Hunt (WF) .................................... 69 (0.8%)
Adam W. Israel (i) .................................... 547 (6.2%)
Joanne M. Kiernan (R, C) ................... 3,784 (42.9%)
Minita J. Sanghvi (D, i) ....................... 4,415 (50.1%)

 

Saratoga Springs public safety commissioner
David Labate (WF) ..................................... 95 (1.1%)
Tracy L. LaBelle (R, C) ....................... 3,859 (44.2%)
James A. Montagnino (D, i) ................ 4,783 (54.7%)


Saratoga Springs public works commissioner
Donald J. Reeder (WF) ............................. 160 (1.8%)
* Anthony “Skip” Scirocco (R, C) ...... 4,870 (55.9%)
Domenique C. Yermolayev (D, i) ....... 3,686 (42.3%)

Saratoga (town) supervisor
Paul F. Murphy (D) ................................ 524 (35.9%)
* Thomas N. Wood III (R, C) ............... 936 (64.1%)

 

The most hotly contested races were in Saratoga Springs, where police practices and public safety emerged as major campaign issues.


Activists said the city was moving too slowly toward implementing policing reforms that were crafted in response to last year’s racial justice protests. City police also faced widespread criticism over their heavy-handed treatment of Black Lives Matter protesters.


Several of the Republican candidates for City Council rallied to the defense of city police, while the Democratic candidates embraced calls for swifter reform -- and for a new inquiry into the 2014 death of Darryl Mount, a young unarmed black man who was mortally injured while fleeing city police.


Democrats won four open seats on the City Council, including the mayor’s office, increasing their majority from 3-2 to 4-1.


WARREN COUNTY

 

Glens Falls 4th Ward county supervisor
* Daniel Bruno (R) .............................. 131 (53.9%)
John B. Reilly (D) ................................... 112 (46.1%)


Glens Falls 5th Ward county supervisor
* Bennett F. Driscoll Jr. (D, C) .............. 309 (62.4%)
Philip G. Russel (R) ................................ 186 (37.6%)

 

Glens Falls Common Council, 2nd Ward
Robin M. Barkenhagen (D, WF) ........... 335 (46.7%)
Robert Landry (R, i) ............................. 383 (53.3%)

 

Glens Falls Common Council, 4th Ward
Benjamin Lapham (D) .......................... 164 (56.7%)
Henry L. Pelton III (R) ........................... 125 (43.3%)

 

Queensbury at-large county supervisor (four seats)
* Doug Beaty (R, i) ......................................... 3,015
* Brad Magowan (R, i) .................................... 3,007

P. Brent McDevitt (D, C) .................................... 1,711
* Rachel Seeber (R, i) ..................................... 2,924
* Mike Wild (R, C) .......................................... 3,078

 

Queensbury Town Board, 1st Ward
John A. Kassebaum (i) ............................ 339 (20.1%)
* Anthony F. Metivier (R, C) .............. 1,347 (79.9%)

 

Queensbury Town Board, 2nd Ward
David Deeb ( R, i) ................................... 695 (48.8%)
* Harrison C. Freer (D, C) ..................... 729 (51.2%)

 

Glens Falls elected a new mayor, Bill Collins, a Common Council member who ran unopposed as a Democrat to succeed the departing incumbent, Dan Hall. Republican Jim Clark Jr. was unopposed for councilman-at-large.


Together with the results for council seats representing the city’s five wards, the election yielded a 5-2 Democratic majority on the council.


WASHINGTON COUNTY

 

Greenwich supervisor
James Nolan (D, i) ............................... 740 (50.5%)
* Don Ward (R, i) ................................... 725 (49.5%)

 

White Creek supervisor
Sean Cossey (R) ...................................... 259 (34.7%)
* James S. Griffith (D, i) ....................... 487 (65.3%)

 

Only two of the county’s 17 towns had contested supervisor races.
In Greenwich, Ward, who narrowly defeated longtime Supervisor Sara Idleman (D) two years ago, came up short in his bid for a second term. He lost to Nolan in a race that was settled by absentee ballots.


In White Creek, Griffith, who won by 21 votes over longtime incumbent Robert Shay (R) two years ago, easily won re-election.

— Compiled by Fred Daley

 

C -- Conservative Party
D -- Democratic Party
i -- independent or unrecognized party
R -- Republican Party
WF -- Working Families Party
* -- incumbent