(EDITOR’S NOTE: As of 2:50 a.m. Wednesday the Columbia County Board of Elections had not posted the unofficial election results from races around the county. The results reported here come from a number of sources, but in some cases the sources reported vote totals that varied widely depending on the source. Readers should not consider the numbers final or complete. We will update and expand the tallies as new, more reliable information becomes available.)
GHENT– Ahead of figures from the Columbia County Board of Elections, county Democrats say their numbers show Republican incumbent Paul Czajka easily defeating Democrat Ken Golden in the race for county district attorney. The vote, with all districts reporting, showed Mr. Czajka with 7,468 votes versus 6,103 for Mr. Golden, according to Democratic Party sources.
Unofficial numbers indicate Democrat Tiffany Martin Hamilton has narrowly defeated Republican William Hallenbeck Jr. for mayor of Hudson, ousting incumbent. The unofficial count for voting Tuesday shows Mayor Hallenbeck with 704 votes and Ms. Hamilton with 740.
The Times Union newspaper in Albany is reporting results from local races, including an unofficial tally showing that in Chatham, Maria Lull, a Republican running on the Democratic line, defeated incumbent Jesse DeGroodt, a independent running on the Republican line. The results of voting Tuesday showed Ms. Lull winning with 51% of the vote, 603 to 570.
Two seats were open on the Chatham Town Board and both appear to have been won by Democrats. Incumbent Councilman Bob Balcom was the top vote getter with 602 followed by running mate Landra Haber with 581 votes. They defeated GOP hopefuls Julia Veronezi (553) and Jeanette Linville (544).
In New Lebanon, incumbent Republican Supervisor Mike Benson was defeated in his bid for reelection by Town Clerk Colleen Teal, running on the Democratic line. The Times Union shows Ms. Teal receiving 60% 0f the votes in that race, winning the unofficial count by 429 to 292.
The race for town clerk in New Lebanon was won by Democrat Tistrya Houghtling (406 votes) over Republican Jen Kelly (302).
Kinderhook Supervisor Pat Grattan Supervisor, a Republican, turned back a challenge from Democrat Matthew Nelson by a 70% to 30% margin in the unofficial tally. Mr. Grattan had 4,194 to 1,790 for Mr. Nelson in the voting machine count.
In the contest for two seats on the Town Board in Kinderhook, incumbents Timothy Ooms and Deborah Simonsmeier won reelection over Democratic challengers Jeffrey Ouellette and Marcia Anderson.
The vote in Greenport for supervisor is tight, with Democrat Ed Nabozny trailing incumbent John Porreca Sr. 536 to 547.
In the race for two seats on the Town Board in Ghent, the Times Union numbers show Republican Peter Nelson Sr. as the leading vote getter, with 690 votes Tuesday. The other seat was won by Democrat and local activist Patti Matheney, with 653 votes. Koethi Zan, Ms. Matheney’s running mate, received 637, Republican Mark Huston had 603 and Conservative Richard Sardo had 156, according to the Times Union.
Separate ballot propositions to increase library funding in the towns of Claverack, Germantown and Kinderhook each won by a wide margin.