Voters in villages across New York state went to the polls Tuesday.
Most villages held uncontested races for mayor and for trustee seats. In several villages three or more candidates looked to win two available trustee seats.
Dean Brown, running unopposed for mayor in the Saratoga County Village of Corinth, was upstaged by a write-in candidate. Maureen Kelly is a trustee on the village board. “The results of the mayor's race, Terry Miller, received 266 votes," Kelly said. "Mr. Dean Brown received 113. For the four year trustee race, Deb Stollery received 298 votes. Jim Clark received 245. For the two year trustee position, Michael Pradel received 290 votes. And in the referendum on the purchase of 97 main street for a new village hall received 62 yeses and 327 nos.”
Kelly says voter turnout factored in the upset victory. "Frankly, in the smaller elections, we don't often have more than 100 folks come out to vote, believe it or not, and because it seems like a strange time of year, village elections are always held in March, and in people have the mindset of November for elections. I just think they don't remember to come out and vote," said Kelly.
Turnout was modest in Cooperstown. Town clerk Jenna Utter shares results from the village election. “Mayor-elect Ellen Tillapaugh received 129 Democratic votes and 2 Many Voices One Village. Trustee Cynthia Falk received 136 Democratic votes along with 2 Many Voices One Village. Trustee Hanna Bergene received 139 Democratic votes and 2 Many Voices One Village. There were 16 write-ins. 16 were for mayor. And then trustee had five write-ins,” Utter said.
Tillapaugh, first elected in 2018, enters her third term. Utter says turnout was modest. “We made about 10% on it. It was kind of, because there wasn't a contest, but 10% of voters did come out, which was a good thing. There was 135 total, people [voting] in person, and the rest were by absentee,” said Utter.
Dorene Weir ran unopposed for mayor of Kinderhook on the Lindenwald Party line, after Mayor Michael Abrams decided not to seek another term. Weir will soon welcome a new amenity.
"This year, our kayak launch slash exit point is going to be completed," Weir said. "We have our expectations are for the end of May of this year. And we are on a co-grant from New York State and the other village on that grant with us is Valatie. And they're expected to have this completed by the end of September of this year."
Village Planning Board member T. Kevin Monahan won a seat on the board of trustees and incumbent trustee Susan Patterson was reelected to a second term. Both are members of the New Kinderhook Party.
Michael Silk ran unopposed for mayor of Castleton-on-Hudson on the Catskill Forward party line. With the blessing of former Mayor Joe Keegan, who opted not to run for another term, Silk expects to make progress on several initiatives.
"Because we're an older village, we have lots of things to deal with," Silk sid. "And so now's a good time to build in some infrastructure and to have a master infrastructure plan to help move things forward. Also we're planning on revitalizing our Main Street, working with the building owners and the residents. And we have a Main Street Association as well. So we have a group of folks who are interested in in revitalizing Main Street, which has been fallow for quite some time, and also determining how best to access the Hudson River safely at grade.”
Greene County Board of Elections "unofficial" results show Democrats won races for village board of trustees seats in Catskill, Coxsackie and Athens. In the Village of Catskill, four candidates were in the running for two available seats. Democrats Jeffrey Workman, Jr. and Daniel Ward defeated incumbent Republicans Jeffrey Holliday and Peter Grasse.
