Who won the Woodstock Democratic debate?

There was good news and bad for Jeff Beals when the results of the straw poll taken at the end of the Democratic debate February 4 at Woodstock’s Community Center were released this week.

The Woodstock Democrat, one of six candidates seeking to vie for the party’s nomination to oppose Republican Congressman John Faso in November, received the most first place votes of the 185 ballots tallied with 50 (27%). But he also received the second most last place votes, 44 (24%) according to a release by the Campaign Committee of the Ulster County Democratic Women, one of the prime sponsors of the proceedings, and the entity that conducted the poll.

In fact, many of the candidates, which included David Clegg, Antonio Delgado, Brian Flynn, Gareth Rhodes and Pat Ryan, found themselves ranked simultaneously near the top and the bottom at the same time, apparently lending credence to theories that each had a sizeable number of adherents.

Participants in the poll were given a sheet and asked to rank the candidates, one through six, based on their performance at the debate. Only ballots with all six ranked were counted, according to Otia Lee, Campaign Committee Chair of the Ulster County Democratic Women. The release said that the percent of the total vote that each candidate received was calculated for each position, 1 through 6.

The release stated, “The results of this poll show that, among the 6 debate participants, Jeff Beals received 27% (50/185) of the 1st place votes, compared to 18% (33/185) for both David Clegg and Antonio Delgado, 15% (27/185) for Brian Flynn, 12% (22/185) For Gareth Rhodes, and 11% (20/185) for Pat Ryan. Pat Ryan received 28% (52/185) of the 6th place ballots while Jeff Beals received 24% (44/185) of the 6th place votes.

“In the 2nd place through 5th place positions, Gareth Rhodes received 23% (43/185) of the 2nd place votes, Brian Flynn received 23% (42/185) of the 3rd place votes, Antonio Delgado received 21% (38/185) of the 4th place ballots, Gareth Rhodes received 22% (40/185) of the 5th place votes, and Pat Ryan received 21% (22/185) of the 5th place ballots.”

Final recording and calculation of the ballot count was completed on February 10, 2018.