After a tightly contested race for town supervisor of Montgomery, Brian Maher emerged as the winner Tuesday night.

Following an excruciating wait, Maher edged incumbent Rodney Winchell and Dennis Leahy. Maher captured 1,790 votes (37.42 percent) while Winchell earned 1,541 (32.22 percent) and Leahy received 1,450 votes (30.32 percent). In addition, two votes for town supervisor went to the write-in choice. Maher was in high spirits after hearing the good news.

 “I am honored to have received the trust of so many voters in the Town of Montgomery,” he said. “I appreciate all of the support and plan to work very hard on behalf of Montgomery’s taxpayers. I would like to acknowledge both Dennis Leahy and Supervisor Rod Winchell for their service to our community and for running a spirited campaign.”

As the numbers indicate, this year’s election for Montgomery town supervisor went down to the wire. The candidates who lost look to move forward after the close race.

“I wish Brian Maher all the best,” Leahy said. “I thank Rod Winchell for his service. I am going to continue on with work in Maybrook and make Maybrook the most it can be.”

The race for Town of Montgomery superintendent of highways and town justice were not nearly as close as the supervisor election. Shaun Meres won the superintendent of highways position, securing 98.88 percent of the vote. Frederick Gorss will remain town justice following his landslide victory on Tuesday night.

The election for councilman was also competitive. Ronald Feller earned the highest percentage of votes (25.18 percent), with Kristen Brown earning the second most votes (20.3 percent). Susan Cockburn came in third place (18.19 percent), Mark Hoyt in fourth (17.3 percent) and Joseph Keenan in fifth (13.78 percent). Dwight Warrington rounded out the list of candidates running for councilman, earning only 2.15 percent of the vote.

Crawford
Supervisor Charles Carnes, running unopposed, was re-elected, with a tally of 1,245 votes.

Also winning in the Republican landslide were Town Clerk Jessica M. Kempter (R-C-I) 1,060 over challenger Lisa A. Salma (D) 591 and incumbents Council members Kelly A. Eskew (1,122) and Rory Holmes (1,008) over challengers Candace Scott (544) and Francis Demuth (486).

Shawangunk

  The local Republican Party reasserted its grip on Shawangunk politics on Tuesday as Town Supervisor John Valk and incumbent councilmen Brian Amthor and Robert Miller all earned re-election in the Nov. 5 balloting. Valk captured his 12th consecutive two-year term in the supervisor’s chair with percent 89 percent of the vote, defeating challenger Joseph Frangione by a 1,898 to 204 vote margin.

Amthor (1,514 votes) and Miller (1,407) fought off a challenge from Charles Beach (810) to secure fresh four-year terms on the council. Shawangunk Highway Superintendent Joseph LoCicero (1,633) and Town Clerk Jane Rascoe (2,118) were both running unopposed in their respective elections on Tuesday.

Ulster County Legislator Ken Ronk earned his seventh two-year term in Kinston as he defeated Democratic challenger Andrew Domenech by a 701 to 330 tally in the race to represent the Ulster County Legislature’s District 13, while incumbent Ulster County Legislator Craig Lopez (1,039) emerged victorious over Adriana Magana (548) in the District 14 contest.

The Democratic Party received some good news in the form of incumbent Ulster County Legislator Tracey Bartels (1,396), who earned 63 percent of the vote to beat back a challenge from Jordan Manley (805) to retain her seat representing District 16 in the Legislature.

   Shawangunk Town Justice Michael Voss (1,477) also earned re-election, as he clinched his third four-year term on the bench with a victory over challenger Julius Collins (722).

  The results of Tuesday’s election were delayed until Wednesday afternoon after a medical emergency at the Ulster County Board of Elections in Kingston slowed the ballot tabulations.

Ulster County races
Patrick Ryan who beat challenger Jack Hayes in a special election earlier this year, won the rematch by a vote of 5,923 to 1,280.

Ryan beat Hayes earlier this year in a race for County Executive that became open after Mike Hein accepted a position in Governor Cuomo’s Administration.

Voters decided that the next Ulster County District Attorney will be Democrat David Clegg who beat Michael Kavanagh by a total of 5,211 to 2,134.

Democrat March Gallagher will be the next Ulster County Comptroller after beating Republican Lisa Cutten 5,358 to 1,793.