Dorcey Applyrs, Albany's chief city auditor and a former common councilor, delivered a victory speech late Tuesday after pulling ahead by a large margin in the four-way Democratic mayoral primary. Her closest challenger, businessman Dan Cerutti, conceded the race at a muted election night party.
Applyrs took a key step in her bid to succeed third-term Democratic Mayor Kathy Sheehan. Also running were Common Council President Corey Ellis and Albany County Legislator Carolyn McLaughlin.
Applyrs was the first to join the race once Sheehan confirmed she would not seek a fourth four-year term. She earned about 54 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results, with Cerutti next at 27 percent.
About 10,000 ballots were cast, with more than 3,100 coming during early voting.
Albany has not elected a Republican mayor in more than a century, so the Democratic primary was considered pivotal.
In the three-way race to succeed Applyrs in the citywide auditor post, Albany County Legislator Sam Fein of District 6 held a comfortable lead over former Common Councilor John Rosenzweig and Sheehan's chief of staff, David Galin, who was making his first bid for elected office.