COLONIE–As the numbers started to come in one by one at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Colonie Democrats were climbing a ladder to write the results in each district on poster board-sized papers so that everyone at the Colonie Democrats headquarters, on Wolf Road, could see.
With each number came either a roar of applause or a disappointed sigh, everyone anxious to see who would come out victorious in what has been called one of the Capital District’s most contentious races of the season-the race for Colonie Town Supervisor.
Challenging each other were incumbent Democrat Paula Mahan, who is currently completing her first term as supervisor, and former County Executive Republican Mike Hoblock.
Out of 60 polling districts, the first results from the first district came in at 227 votes for Mahan and 170 votes for Hoblock. While Mahan’s lead was not a trend in all 60 districts, as the night went on, her lead became ever more prevalent.
Around 11 p.m., with less than 60 percent of reporting completed, Mahan had announced that her challenger, a former Town Board member and most recently the chairman of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, had called to congratulate her on winning the race.
He was a gentleman and said, ‘Congratulations,’ she said.
Campaign Manager Mike Burick thanked everyone who contributed to the campaign and said that the success could not have been achieved by only one person. Unofficial Albany County Board of Electiond results showed Mahan with 11,986 votes and Hoblock with 10,544 votes.
`It’s a lot of work by a lot of people,` he said. `Everybody worked hard.`
On Tuesday, Hoblock said, `I don’t know what there is to say. The voters have spoken, they’ve made their decision.`
Hoblock said that as a resident and concerned citizen, he will continue to closely follow issues that affect residents of the Town of Colonie.
Colonie Republican Committee Chairman John Graziano Jr. said Tuesday that the supervisor will be faced with many challenges in her second term.
The supervisor’s going to be given another chance in the next two years,` he said. `The climate is not going to be favorable to town government.`
But Mahan said, upon winning the election, that her plan is to continue working to bring the town to fiscal stability and out of the last-reported $16 million deficit.
`We’ve got so much to do. We’re going to continue to work on that deficit, pursue sale of town assets, we have an aggressive five-year paving plan,` she said. `There’s so much more to be done.`
Working with the supervisor will be three new Town Board members, though it is still undecided who will fill one of the three seats.
The two Town Board members who will fill seats are Democrats Linda Murphy, who had 11,358 votes according to unofficial results, and Daniel Hornick, with 10,713 votes. Republican Peter Crouse had 9,685 votes and Republican Susan Hoblock deVoe had 10,121 votes.
As of Tuesday, Republican Dan Dustin had won the third seat with 10,222 votes, but since the number of votes are so close to Democrat Paul Rosano, with 10,212 votes, absentee ballots will be opened sometime next week to determine the winner.
In the Colonie Town Justice race, voters were able to choose two candidates out of four to fill two seats. Republican incumbent Andrew Sommers won one seat with 11,503 votes, and as of Tuesday, Republican Norman Massry won the second with 10,427 votes. Democrats trailed behind with 10, 286 votes for Stanley Segal and 8,836 votes for Frederick Altman. Absentee ballots will also be opened for the town justice candidates.
`We’re hoping that we can make up Stan Segal’s deficit [with the absentee ballots],` said Colonie Democratic Committee Chairman Rich Jacobson.
Incumbent Republican Michele Zilgme won her seat as Receiver of Taxes with 11,457 votes against Democrat Pamela Rowley with 9,685 votes.
Incumbent Republican Elizabeth DelTorto ran uncontested for her seat as Town Clerk and came in with 13,727 votes.
For more on this story, check back at www.spotlightnews.com, or read the Wednesday, Nov. 11, print edition of the Colonie Spotlight.
