Jennifer Knox defeated incumbent Lisa Vance-Ayers in Tuesday's election for Town of Newburgh clerk, according to unofficial results from the Orange County Board of Elections.

Knox, running on the Democratic and Working Families Party lines, received 6,366 votes, or 53.35%, compared with 5,566 votes, or 46.64%, for Vance-Ayers, who ran on the Republican and Conservative lines, as of Wednesday afternoon, as reports from all 27 election districts became available online.

The result puts Knox in charge of an office responsible for maintaining town records, issuing licenses and providing public notices. Knox campaigned on making government 

information easier to access, particularly for residents seeking details about development projects, contracts and other town decisions.

Before the results were announced, Knox said she viewed the clerk’s office as a way to improve residents’ access to town government, particularly by making public notices, development information and municipal records easier to obtain. 

“It's hard to get access to what's going on in the town and get the answers and I want to be able to provide that for the residents so that our town can grow better together,” Knox said.

Knox said the clerk's responsibilities are primarily administrative rather than policymaking. She identified public notices and the town's website as areas where she hoped to make changes, arguing that residents should have an easier time learning about projects proposed near their homes.

She also called for greater transparency in the town's bidding process, saying residents should be able to find information about municipal contracts and work being performed for the town. 

Knox, the co-chair of the Town of Newburgh Democratic Committee, said she had worked in local politics for more than 15 years, largely behind the scenes. She said she would step down from her committee position if elected because she believed the clerk's office should operate nonpartisanly. 

At a Democratic election-night gathering Tuesday, supporters described the contest as an opportunity for changes in town government.

Carol Maida, a Town of Newburgh resident of more than 40 years, said she had spent the campaign canvassing neighborhoods and calling voters on behalf of Democratic candidates.

"I'm feeling that it's stagnant and we are not moving forward in the right direction," Maida said of the town. "In these unusual times, we need forward thinkers."

Jules Ridgewood, chair of the City of Newburgh Democratic Committee, said she attended the gathering to support Democratic candidates and help track incoming election results.

Ridgewood, who lives in the city rather than the town, said she believed town voters deserved officials who could respond to changing circumstances.

"The town deserves representation that is adaptive and responsive to these various serious times that we're in," Ridgewood said. 

Mark Sanchez, another attendee, said he supported Democratic candidates because he believed they offered a vision centered on working-class residents and bringing people from different backgrounds together.

"We want to see change in our community," Sanchez said. "We want the Democrats to win because we believe they have a vision for the working class, for a multiracial coalition of people coming together to make our community better."

Vance-Ayers, who said she had “built her reputation” in the clerk's office for nine years, including five as town clerk since she was elected in 2021, campaigned on her experience and efforts to expand municipal services.

She acknowledged that the town's website was outdated but said its management fell under the supervisor's office on Tuesday night. She identified updating the website as a priority.

"I've done everything I can so far in this office to bring it forward," Vance-Ayers said. "But I want to take it even further."

Vance-Ayers also highlighted the TARA program, a spay-and-neuter initiative that she said had received town funding to help residents afford veterinary services for their pets.

Asked before the election results whether she would remain involved in the community if she lost, Vance-Ayers said she intended to continue serving residents.

"You have not seen the last of me for sure," she said. 

Knox, who is expected to take office in January following certification of the election results, said she hoped to bring residents together and make town government more accessible.

“We’re a big town but we can have that big small-town feel if we’re all working together,” Knox said.