Shocker in Sheriff’s Race and Other Putnam Election Results
In a jaw-dropping stunner, Democratic challenger Robert Langley is currently ahead of Republican incumbent Don Smith in the race for Putnam County Sheriff.
Langley is up 335 votes against Smith in the countywide contest that pitted Langley, a former sheriff’s investigator, against Smith, who has been in office for 16 years and was seeking his fifth term. Langley didn’t declare victory Tuesday night and Smith didn’t concede in a speech to supporters as both candidates will wait for absentee votes to be counted next Tuesday evening.
Langley collected 11,732 votes and Smith picked up 11,397 votes as the race was a dead heat for the most of the night as results rolled in.
Most races outside of the sheriff’s competition ushered in predictable outcomes.
Republican Legislator Toni Addonizio retained her seat in District 3 against Democrat Phil Tolmach 1.636-1,091 and Republican Legislator Bill Gouldman won reelection in District 2 against Democrat Anthony Williams 1,366-1,197. Amy Sayegh, who won a Republican primary against Legislator Dini LoBue in September, fended off a last minute write-in challenge from LoBue, collecting 84 percent of the vote.
At the town level, Kent Supervisor Maureen Fleming, a Democrat, easily beat Republican challenger Pat Madigan 2,163-1,193. Republicans Paul Denbaum (1,683) and Bill Huestis (2,028) kept their town board seats against Democratic challengers Stephen Papas (1,332) and Jason Makely (1,319).
In Carmel, outsider Michael Barile (5,118), a Republican, and incumbent Suzi McDonough (4,583) topped Democrat Judie Mirra (2,567) to take the two town board seats. Supervisor Kenny Schmitt ran unopposed.
Southeast Councilwoman Liz Hudak (2,083), a Republican, was elected to her third term, though her running mate, Republican incumbent Bob Cullen (1,921) is actually down a vote to Democratic challenger John Lord (1,922) and absentees will be counted next week to decide the winner. Democrat and first time candidate Melinda Montanaro (1,873) finished last, but was still less than 50 votes away from Lord’s second place total before absentees.
In Philipstown, Democrats Michael Leonard (2,100) and John Van Tassel (2,458) were reelected to the town board, fending off a challenge from Republican Tim Greco (1,141). Supervisor Richard Shea ran unopposed.
Patterson Councilman Peter Dandreano and newcomer Mary Smith were elected to the town board over Joe Capasso who was on a third party line.
Putnam Valley Supervisor Sam Oliverio and town board members Jackie Annabi and Wendy Whetsel all ran without opposition.
As for judicial races, Putnam Valley Judge Gina Capone, a Democrat, kept her seat against Republican Michael Adamovich and in Kent, Judge Kevin Douchkoff, a Republican, kept his seat and Republican Tim Curtiss bested Democrat Pamela Richardson to fill soon-to-be retired Judge Peter Collins’ seat. It looks like Patterson Judge Michael Caruso will stay behind the town bench as he is ahead of Democrat Kevin Burns 1,284-1,251—a 33 vote margin.
