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

 

News & Issues December 2022/ January 2023

 

ELECTION 2022 RESULTS

 

Here are the results of the Nov. 8 general election for federal and state offices across the region. Winning candidates are in boldface type if the outcome is not in dispute. Incumbents are marked with an asterisk (*).
Figures for Massachusetts and Vermont are final, official returns recorded by the secretary of state’s office in each state. Figures for New York are most recent figures available from the state Board of Elections as of Nov. 30 but are not final, certified results.

 

MASSACHUSETTS


GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Geoff Diehl and Leah Allen (R) ................... 859,433 (34.6%)
Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll (D) .......... 1,581,214 (63.8%)
Kevin Reed and Peter Everett (L) ..................... 39,205 (1.6%)

ATTORNEY GENERAL
Andrea Joy Campbell (D) ........................ 1,537,726 (62.9%)
James R. McMahon III (R) ........................... 907,390 (37.1%)

SECRETARY OF STATE
Rayla Campbell (R) ....................................... 721,261 (29.4%)
* William Francis Galvin (D) .................... 1,663,496 (67.7%)
Juan Sanchez (GR) ............................................ 71,662 (2.9%)

STATE TREASURER
Cristina Crawford (L) ................................... 515,482 (23.2%)
* Deborah B. Goldberg (D) ..................... 1,707,296 (76.8%)

STATE AUDITOR
Anthony Amore (R) ...................................... 896,186 (37.7%)
Gloria A. Caballero-Roca (GR) ........................ 68,593 (2.9%)
Diana DiZoglio (D) .................................. 1,309,008 (55.1%)
Dominic Giannone III (i) ................................. 51,841 (2.2%)
Daniel Riek (L) .................................................. 48,529 (2.0%)

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE, 1st District
Dean James Martilli (R) .................................. 98,386 (38.4%)
* Richard E. Neal (D) ................................. 157,635 (61.6%)

Governor’s Council, 8th District
John M. Comerford (R) ............................... 104,839 (38.1%)
Tara J. Jacobs (D) ....................................... 170,120 (61.9%)

STATE SENATE
(Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin & Hampshire District)
Paul W. Mark (D) .......................................... 47,989 (76.4%)
Brendan M. Phair (i) ...................................... 14,806 (23.6%)

State representative
Third Berkshire District
Michael Silvio Lavery (GR) ................................ 1,698 (9.4%)
* William “Smitty” Pignatelli (D) ................. 16,340 (90.6%)

Ballot Propositions

Question 1 -- Income tax constitutional amendment
A Yes vote supported amending the state constitution to establish a 4 percent income tax on the portion of taxable income in excess of $1 million, beginning with tax year 2023. The amendment specifies that the threshold for the tax will be adjusted upward annually to account for inflation and that revenues raised from the tax will be used for education and transportation. State lawmakers have already backed the proposal by wide margins in two successive legislative sessions, so approval by voters is the final step in enacting the measure.
Yes ........................................................... 1,265,815 (52.3%)
No ................................................................. 1,156,323 (47.7%)

Question 2 -- Regulation of dental insurance
A Yes vote enacts a new law requiring dental insurance companies in Massachusetts to spend at least 83 percent of premiums on member dental expenses and quality improvements rather than on administrative expenses. Supporters said the law would ensure better coverage for patients while reducing corporate waste, while opponents claimed it would prompt companies to raise insurance rates.
Yes ........................................................... 1,717,895 (71.6%)
No ................................................................... 681,238 (28.4%)

Question 3 -- Licensing for alcohol sales
A Yes vote would have grandually increased the number of licenses a single retailer could have for beer and wine sales from the current cap of nine locations statewide to as many as 18 by 2031.
The proposal was put forth by the Massachusetts Package Store Association, which cast it as a compromise with convenience store chains that have been pushing for the right to sell beer and wine more widely.
But the proposal was opposed by chains such as Cumberland Farms, which currently is allowed to sell beer and wine at only nine of its roughly 200 stores in Massachusetts. These retailers want broader changes to the state’s system of regulating alcohol sales.
Yes ................................................................. 1,069,921 (44.9%)
No ............................................................ 1,312,906 (55.1%)

Question 4 -- Eligibility for driver’s licenses
A Yes vote supported a law the Legislature passed earlier this year allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses if they meet the state’s other licensing requirements. The new law, which the Legislature overrode Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto to pass, allows drivers to use a valid foreign passport or certain consular documents to prove their identity, as long as they can verify residency in the state, pass required tests and buy insurance.
Proponents say the law will reduce the number of uninsured drivers and hit-and-run accidents, citing the experience of 17 other states with similar laws. Opponents, who petitioned for a statewide vote, argued that the law effectively rewards people who’ve come to the country illegally. A No vote would have repealed the law, which now takes effect in July 2023.
Yes ........................................................... 1,298,399 (53.9%)
No ................................................................. 1,108,985 (46.1%)

OVERVIEW
Maura Healey cruised to victory in the race for governor, becoming the first woman to win election to the state’s top job and the first lesbian to be elected as a governor in the United States.
She is also only the second Democrat since 1990 to win the governor’s office in Massachusetts. Despite its deep blue complexion, the state’s voters have elected a series of centrist Republicans who’ve held the office for 24 of the past 32 years. Healey, the state attorney general for the past eight years, will take over from Republican Charlie Baker, who opted not to run again.
Democratic candidates easily won every other statewide race on the ballot, including the contest to succeed Healey as attorney general. Andrea Joy Campbell, a former Boston City Council president, won that position with Healey’s strong support and becomes the first Black woman elected to statewide office in Massachusetts.
Locally, the legislative delegation from Berkshire County will be reshuffled after redistricting eliminated one of the area’s four seats in the state House.
State Rep. Paul Mark, D-Becket, easily won the area’s lone state Senate seat, taking the place of Adam Hinds, who opted not to seek another term. Mark opted to run for Senate after new House district maps placed him in the same district as Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, D-Lenox, the dean of the Berkshires legislative delegation.
Incumbent state Reps. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, and Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, were re-elected without opposition.
In races statewide, the already heavily Democratic state House became even more so. The party already held 127 of the chamber’s 160 seats before the election. As of late November, Democrats had secured 132 seats and were leading in one of two additional races that hadn’t been called. In the state Senate, Democrats retained 37 of the chamber’s 40 seats, the same number as before the election.
After winning an upset in September’s Democratic primary, North Adams School Committee member Tara Jacobs will bring a rare Berkshires voice to the Governor’s Council.

 



 

NEW YORK


GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
* Kathy C. Hochul and Antonio Delgado (D, WF) .................................................................................. 3,034,801 (52.9%)
Lee Zeldin and Alison Esposito (R, C) .... 2,705,908 (47.1%)

STATE COMPTROLLER
* Thomas P. DiNapoli (D, WF) ................ 3,197,291 (57.0%)
Paul Rodriguez (R, C) ............................... 2,412,972 (43.0%)

ATTORNEY GENERAL
Michael Henry (R, C) ................................ 2,578,147 (45.7%)
* Letitia A. James (D, WF) ....................... 3,062,569 (54.3%)

U.S. SENATOR
Joe Pinion (R, C) ....................................... 2,451,144 (43.1%)
Diane Sare (i) .................................................... 25,827 (0.5%)
* Charles E. Schumer (D, WF) ................ 3,204,252 (56.4%)

STATEWIDE BALLOT proposition
A Yes vote on Question 1 approved a $4.2 billion environmental bond act to support capital projects for flood risk reduction, open space and land conservation and recreation and water quality improvements and infrastructure.
Yes ........................................................... 3,430,315 (67.4%)
No ................................................................ 1,659,406 (32.6%)

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE -- 19th District
(Columbia and 10 other counties west of the Hudson)
Marcus Molinaro (R, C) ............................. 143,978 (51.1%)
Josh Riley (D, WF) ........................................ 137,843 (48.9%)

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE -- 20th District
(Saratoga, Albany and Schenectady counties plus the city of Troy)
Elizabeth L. Joy (R, C) .................................. 130,013 (45.0%)
* Paul D. Tonko (D, WF) ........................... 159,018 (55.0%)

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE -- 21ST District
(Warren and Washington counties, Rensselaer County except Troy, plus 12 other counties to the north and west)
Matt Castelli (D, i) ........................................ 113,255 (40.6%)
* Elise M. Stefanik (R, C) ........................... 165,634 (59.4%)

State Supreme Court Justice -- 3rd District
(Columbia and Rensselaer plus five other counties)
(3 seats, 14- year terms)
Heidi Thais Cochrane (D)........................................... 163,777
Megan K. Galligan (D) ................................................ 167,627
Sharon A. Graff (D) ..................................................... 165,824
Thomas J. Marcelle (R, C) .......................................... 164,776

State Supreme Court Justice -- 4TH District
(Saratoga, Warren, Washington plus eight other counties)
(3 seats, 14- year terms)
Teneka Frost (D) .......................................................... 124,880
Richard A. Kupferman (R) ....................................... 155,300
Allison M. McGahay (R, C) ....................................... 184,051
* Robert J. Muller (D, C) .......................................... 148,909
Chris Obstarczyk (R) .................................................... 147,153
Vincent W. Versaci (D, C) ........................................... 147,110

STATE SENATE

41st district (Columbia, Greene and parts of Dutchess and Ulster counties)
* Michelle Hinchey (D, WF) .......................... 73,444 (52.6%)
* Susan J. Serino (R, C, i) ................................ 66,180 (47.4%)

43rd district (Rensselaer County, most of Washington County and northwestern Albany County)
Jacob C. Ashby (R, C) ................................... 61,731 (52.8%)
Andrea Smyth (D, WF) ................................... 55,141 (47.2%)

44th district (Saratoga County and part of Schenectady County)
Michelle Ostrelich (D, WF) ............................ 53,648 (43.4%)
* James N. Tedisco (R, C) ............................ 70,094 (56.6%)

45th district (Warren, Essex, Clinton, Franklin and parts of Washington and St. Lawrence counties)
Jean A. Lapper (D) .......................................... 43,919 (39.6%)
* Daniel G. Stec (R, C) ................................. 67,041 (60.4%)

STATE ASSEMBLY

106th district (parts of Columbia and Dutchess counties)
* Didi Barrett (D) .......................................... 30,103 (54.2%)
Brandon Craig Gaylord (R, C) ....................... 25,435 (45.8%)

112th district (parts of Saratoga, Schenectady and Fulton counties)
Andrew McAdoo (D, WF) .............................. 23,697 (40.2%)
* Mary Beth Walsh (R, C) ............................. 35,271 (59.8%)

113th district (parts of Saratoga, Washington counties)
David Catalfamo (R, C) .................................. 25,475 (47.1%)
* Carrie Woerner (D) ................................... 28,618 (52.9%)

OVERVIEW
Voters across the nation may have dashed Republican hopes for a “red wave” election, but the party showed unusual strength in New York this year, picking up several U.S. House seats in districts that became newly competitive under a court-ordered redistricting.
Locally, these included an open seat in the newly drawn 19th Congressional District, where Republican Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, narrowly defeated Josh Riley, a lawyer from the Southern Tier, in a race that attracted national attention and dollars. Riley carried Columbia, Ulster and Tomkins counties, but Molinaro prevailed in Broome County and seven other rural counties across the district.
In addition to Molinaro’s victory, GOP candidates managed to flip three other House seats in the New York City suburbs after a campaign that focused in large part on fears of rising crime. The results mean that in January, Republicans will control 11 of New York’s 26 U.S. House seats, up from 8 of 27 seats before the election. (The state lost one seat through reapportionment based on population shifts in the 2020 census.) The GOP share of the New York’s congressional delegation has gradually rebounded over the past decade after hitting a low of just three House seats after the 2008 election.
Republican candidate Lee Zeldin also gave his party its strongest showing in 20 years in a governor’s race. But incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul still prevailed by nearly six percentage points, and Democratic incumbents won by more comfortable margins in every other statewide race.
In other area congressional races, incumbent Reps. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, and Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, both won re-election easily in districts that had been redrawn to exclude their towns of residence.
In state legislative races, the election results did little to shift the statewide balance of power, despite a court-ordered redistricting that created a more competitive state Senate map. Although a handful of races still hadn’t been called by the end of November, Democrats appeared well positioned to retain two-thirds majorities in both the Senate and Assembly.
In the 63-seat Senate, where Republicans had targeted a dozen Democratic-held seats as potentially winnable, the party secured only 21 seats, the same number as before the election. Although three races hadn’t been called, Democrats led in all three, potentially giving their party control of 42 seats, the same as before.
Locally, Democratic Sen. Michelle Hinchey, D-Saugerties, defeated Sen. Sue Serino, R-Hyde Park, after the two incumbents were drawn into the new 41st district in the Hudson Valley.
To the north, Assemblyman Jake Ashby, R-Castleton, prevailed over Democrate Andrea Smyth, the director of a nonprofit children’s services group, for an open seat in the new 43rd Senate District, which covers all of Rensselaer County, most of Washington County and the northwestern corner of Albany County.
And Republican Sens. James Tedisco and Dan Stec won re-election easily, despite new maps that made the 44th and 45th districts less strongly Republican than before.

 


 

VERMONT


GOVENOR
Peter Duval (i) of Underhill .............................. 4,723 (1.7%)
Kevin Hoyt (i) of Bennington ........................... 6,022 (2.1%)
Bernard Peters (i) of Irasburg ........................... 2,315 (0.8%)
* Phil Scott (R) of Berlin ............................ 202,147 (71.3%)
Brenda Siegel (D, P) of Newfane .................. 68,248 (24.1%)

Lieutenant governor
Joe Benning (R) of Lyndon .......................... 118,724 (42.9%)
Ian G. Diamondstone (GM) of Putney .............. 8,159 (2.9%)
David Zuckerman (D) of Hinesburg ........... 150,102 (54.2%)

U.S. SENATOR
Mark Coester (i) of Westminster ........................ 1,273 (0.4%)
Natasha Diamondstone-Kohout (GM) of Dummerston ......................................................................................... 1,574 (0.5%)
Stephen Duke (i) of Calais ................................. 1,209 (0.4%)
Dawn Marie Ellis (i) of Burlington .................... 2,752 (1.0%)
Ms. Cris Ericson (i) of Chester ........................... 1,105 (0.4%)
Gerald Malloy (R) of Weathersfield .............. 80,468 (28.1%)
Kerry Patrick Raheb (i) of Bennington ............. 1,532 (0.5%)
Peter Welch (D) of Norwich ....................... 196,575 (68.6%)

U.S. Representative

Becca Balint (D) of Brattleboro .................. 176,494 (62.8%)
Matt Druzba (i) of Burlington ............................ 5,737 (2.0%)
Liam Madden (R) of Rockingham ................ 78,397 (27.9%)
Adam Ortiz (i) of Rutland City .......................... 3,376 (1.2%)
Ericka Redic (L) of Burlington ........................ 12,590 (4.5%)
Luke Talbot (i) of Brighton ................................ 4,428 (1.6%)

State treasurer
H. Brooke Paige (R) of Washington .............. 95,440 (34.3%)
Mike Pieciak (D) of Winooski ..................... 182,571 (65.7%)

Secretary of state
Sarah Copeland Hanzas (D) of Bradford ... 179,087 (65.2%)
H. Brook Paige (R) of Washington ................ 95,666 (34.8%)

AUDITOR of ACCOUNTS
* Doug Hoffer (D) of Burlington ............... 178,714 (65.4%)
Richard “Rick” Morton (R) of Brattleboro ... 94,613 (34.6%)

Attorney general
Charity R. Clark (D) of Williston ................ 179,098 (65.2%)
Michael Tagliavia (R) of Corinth ................... 95,661 (34.8%)

STATEWIDE BALLOT QUESTIONS

Proposal 2 -- Slavery and indentured servitude
A Yes vote amends a portion of the state constitution that prohibits slavery, removing archaic clauses that allowed for exceptions to that prohibition. Although Vermont prohibited slavery from its founding in 1777, its constitution had provided exceptions for people under 21 and those “bound by the person’s own consent ... or bound by law for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs or the like.”
Yes .............................................................. 238,466 (88.7%)
No ...................................................................... 30,335 (11.3%)

Proposal 5 -- Reproductive rights
A Yes vote amends the state constitution to guarantee a right to personal reproductive autonomy. The amendment, known as Article 22, specifies that “an individual’s right to personal reproductive autonomy .. shall not be denied or infringed unless justified by compelling state interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”
Proponents said the amendment would protect abortion rights that are in jeopardy because of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the 50-year-old precedent of Roe vs. Wade.
Yes .............................................................. 212,323 (76.8%)
No ...................................................................... 64,239 (23.2%)

 

STATE SENATE

Rutland District (three seats)
* Brian “BC” Collamore (R) of Rutland Town .......... 13,878
Joshua Ferguson (D) of Fair Haven ............................... 9,359
Bridgette Remington (D) of Rutland Town ................ 10,134
Anna Tadio (D) of Rutland City ................................... 10,453
David Weeks (R) of Proctor ....................................... 10,703
Terry K. Williams (R) of Poultney ............................. 11,453

 

STATE HOUSE

Bennington District 1 (towns of Readsboro, Searsburg, Stamford, Woodford and part of Pownal)
* Nelson Brownell (D) of Pownal ....................... 974 (50.7%)
Brian Busa (R) of Readsboro .............................. 948 (49.3%)

Bennington District 3 (Shaftsbury, Glastenbury and part of Sunderland)
* David K. Durfee (D) of Shaftsbury .............. 1,179 (61.7%)
Victor K. Harwood Jr. (R) of Shaftsbury ............ 731 (38.3%)

Bennington District 4 (two seats; towns of Arlington, Manchester, Sandgate and part of Sunderland)
* Seth Bongartz (D) of Manchester ............................. 2,503
Joe Gervais (R) of Arlington ........................................... 1,369
* Kathleen James (D) of Manchester ........................... 2,517

Bennington District 5 (two seats; parts of Bennington and Pownal)
Jim Carroll (D) of Bennington ..................................... 1,427
* Mary A. Morrissey (R) of Bennington ....................... 1,869
* Michael Nigro (D) of Bennington .............................. 1,290

Rutland-Bennington District (Middletown Springs, Pawlet, Rupert, Tinmouth and part of Wells)
* Sally Achey (R) ............................................... 1,019 (46.4%)
Robin Chesnut-Tangerman (D) ..................... 1,179 (53.6%)

Rutland District 2 (two seats; Clarendon, Wallingford, West Rutland and part of Rutland Town)
* Thomas “Tom” Burditt (R) of West Rutland ............ 2,079
Ken Fredette (D) of Wallingford ..................................... 1,687
* Arthur Peterson (R) of Clarendon ............................. 1,952
Dave Potter (D) of Clarendon .......................................... 1,945

Rutland District 3 (town of Castleton)
Mary Droege (D) of Castleton ............................ 793 (48.7%)
Jarrod E. Sammis (R) of Castleton .................... 836 (51.3%)

Rutland District 6 (part of Rutland City)
* Mary E. Howard (D) ........................,............. 727 (60.0%)
Cynthia “Cindy” Laskevich (R) ........................... 484 (40.0%)

BENNINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF
Beau Alexander Sr. (i) of Shaftsbury ................. 1,227 (8.0%)
James A. Gulley Jr. (D) of Bennington ........... 8,478 (55.5%)
Joel R. Howard Jr. (R) of Pownal ..................... 5,576 (36.5%)

OVERVIEW
Vermont’s voters gave Republican Gov. Phil Scott a resounding victory in his bid for a fourth term. But at the same time, they strengthened the hand of legislative Democrats, who in January will once again hold supermajorities capable of overriding the governor’s veto.
In races for federal office, Democratic U.S. Rep. Peter Welch easily won the seat of retiring Sen. Patrick Leahy, while voters chose Becca Balint, the Democratic state Senate president, to succeed Welch as the state’s lone U.S. House member.
A wave of retirements also created open-seat races for four of the five other statewide offices. Democratic candidates won all of those races easily, with former Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman reclaiming the job he had left in 2020 to pursue an unsuccessful bid for governor.
For secretary of state, state Rep. Sarah Copeland Hanzas of Bradford won the seat left open by Jim Condos, while Mike Pieciak, the state’s former commissioner of financial regulation, will take over as state treasurer after the retirement of Beth Pearce. Charity Clark, who had served as chief of staff to former Attorney General TJ Donovan, won the seat left vacant by her former boss.
In state legislative races, Republicans picked up an open Senate seat in Rutland County, but Democratic gains elsewhere left the GOP with just seven of the 30 seats in the upper chamber, the same number as before the election and too few to sustain a governor’s veto.
In the 150-seat state House, Democrats and their allies in the state’s Progressive Party were on track to regain a veto-proof majority of at least 107 seats, up from 99 seats in the last legislative session.
A handful of races remained undecided in late November, including one in Bennington House District 1, where incumbent Rep. Nelson Brownell, D-Pownal, was leading narrowly but a recount was under way. Earlier, a recount upheld the seven-vote victory of Rep. Arthur Peterson, R-Clarendon, in Rutland District 2.

-- Compiled by Fred Daley

 

-- Democratic Party
GM -- Green Mountain Party
GR -- Green-Rainbow Party

i -- independent (no party)
L -- Libertarian Party
P -- Progressive Party
R -- Republican Party
W -- Workers Party
WF -- Working Families Party