More than a month after Election Day, Mayor Mike Stammel is claiming re-election in the City of Rensselaer.
The Republican told WAMC Saturday his Democratic opponent, Richard Mooney, withdrew allegations of fraud, and that a judge has ruled in his favor after both candidates sought judicial intervention in the close race.
“There has been no fraud allegations that have been known and those allegations have been withdrawn by my opponent. So therefore, you know, it's been a clean election on my side, kind of a little bit nasty for my opponents, but I'm happy for the people of the City of Rensselaer," said Stammel.
Mooney’s campaign released a lengthy but vague statement Saturday afternoon. The former mayor who was defeated by Stammel in 2019 wrote in part: “Elections should be either won and lost based upon each valid vote being counted properly. We may never know the true result.”
In a follow up email Saturday night, Mooney’s campaign said the Rensselaer County Board of Elections “would need to weigh in on the conclusion of the race.”
Republican Rensselaer County Board of Elections Commissioner Jason Schofield confirmed to a Troy Record reporter Saturday that Stammel had won re-election.