Hurley supervisor John Perry, a Republican, topped Democrat and former Woodstock town supervisor Tracy Kellogg in a rematch of their race two years ago, though control of the town board slipped away from the GOP with the elections of political newcomers Melinda McKnight and Peter Humphries on November 5.
“Thirty six years is long enough,” said Sylvia Rozzelle, Town of Olive’s current supervisor and former town clerk on the morning of November 6, when asked her opinion of the previous evening’s vote tallies, which saw a sweep by her party, the Democrats, in all municipal races. “It’s time for new people, for new energy in Olive.”
A write-in campaign by former supervisor Jeff Moran did little to keep incumbent Bill McKenna from re-election to another two years as Woodstock town supervisor. Preliminary results show McKenna received 1796 votes while write-ins, presumably for Moran for the top town seat totaled 462.
Another close election result in Ulster County.
A rollercoaster of an election night, followed by a suspenseful Wednesday morning, ended up with the closely watched race for Ulster County District Attorney in a virtual dead heat, even as Democrats secured decisive victories in two more countywide races and appeared poised to maintain their one-vote majority in the County Legislature.
County Executive Pat Ryan of Gardiner coasted to his first full four-year term Tuesday night, with the Democrat easily winning a rematch election with Ulster County Conservative Party Chairman Jack Hayes, also of Gardiner, who was running on the Republican line as well.
The underlying theme for this year’s election in Olive — with two full slates of candidates vying for the town’s first open supervisor’s position in years, as well as an open town justice spot (and two races for town council with four candidates) — depends on which party you’re listening to.
Kathy Nolan, a Democrat, is running for reelection after a term as Ulster County legislator for District 22, which includes the towns of Shandaken, Olive, Denning, and Hardenbergh. She is being challenged by John Parete, who lost the seat to Nolan in 2017, after serving six terms. Parete, also a Democrat, has received the Republican party endorsement but failed in an attempt to defeat Nolan in the Democratic primary earlier this year. Parete has not said which party he would caucus with should he win.
Six months after coasting to victory by a three-to-one margin, County Executive Pat Ryan, a Democrat, faces an electoral rematch with Ulster County Conservative Party Chairman John J. “Jack” Hayes.
Woodstock voters will decide between incumbent town supervisor Bill McKenna and write-in candidate and former supervisor Jeff Moran for the top town seat while all others are running unopposed. Both tout their records while Moran says he’s the one who can devote the time needed for the job.
Help us to continue to provide great, locally-owned journalism on Hudson Valley One and in print with New Paltz Times, Woodstock Times, Saugerties Times & Kingston Times.
