In the Towns of Niskayuna and Glenville, sitting board members were able to keep their seats and maintain one-party rule in the two towns.
In Niskayuna, incumbent Democrat Supervisor Joe Landry was able to retain his seat against Republican challenger Anthony Pennacchio. Landry garnered 2,705 votes, or 56 percent of the vote, and Pennacchio took 2,157 votes, or 44 percent, according to preliminary election results. Landry’s victory marks his third consecutive bid for supervisor. The Niskayuna Town Board will continue to be governed by an all-Democrat majority.
To read about the Town of Rotterdam election results, which had Dems swepping races click here.
Two Town Board seats were up for grabs and both Democrat incumbents were reelected. Julie McDonnell gained the most votes with 2,772, or 29 percent of the vote, but Liz Orzel Kasper followed closely behind at 2,734 votes, just under 29 percent. Both Republican candidates had a similar amount of votes, with Linda Rizzo taking 2,068 votes, or 29 percent, and Richard Fisher at 1,975 votes, or 21 percent.
Democrat newcomer Michele Martinelli also easily won her bid for town clerk, holding 2,953 votes, or 61 percent, against Republican Janna Czernicki with 1,861 votes, or 39 percent.
In Glenville, the story was similar for the Republican candidates, keeping a Republican majority on the Town Board. Both GOP candidates held a lead of more than 1,000 votes over the sole Democrat challenger for the two seats.
Republican John Pytlovany, a newcomer appointed to the board earlier this year, held the most votes at 3,976, or 40 percent, with incumbent Republican Gina Wierzbowski holding 3,587 votes, or 36 percent. Democrat challenger John Lockwood held 2,447 votes, or 24 percent.
Also, incumbent Republican Town Clerk Linda Neals held a significant lead over Democrat challenger Michele Draves. Neals garnered 3,635 votes, or 65 percent, and Draves came in short at 1,932 votes, or 35 percent.
In the Village of Scotia, Republican E. Thomas Neals was able to regain his trustee seat after losing in the 2010 election. Despite the Village Board of Trustees consisting of all Democrats, Neals was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board earlier in the year. Neals garnered an almost 100-vote lead over Democrat candidate Rory Fluman, with Neals holding 682 votes, or 53 percent, and Fluman falling behind at 597 votes, or 47 percent.
County Legislature results
Despite Republicans calling for a more balanced party representation on the Schenectady County Legislature, Democrats gained a seat for even more dominance.
Democrat incumbents in District 4 (representing the Towns of Rotterdam, Duanesburg and Princetown) Anthony Jasenski and Angelo Santabarbara retained their seats with a significant lead against Republican challengers Stanley Marchinkowski and Wade Abbott. Santabarbara came in on top with 6,241 votes, or 33 percent, with Jasenski falling not too far behind at 5,620 votes, or 30 percent. Marchinkowski had 3,490 votes, or 19 percent, and fellow Republican Abbott came in slightly behind at 3,292, or 18 percent.
Similar results for Democrats were realized in District 3 (representing the Towns of Niskayuna and Glenville and the Village of Scotia), which resulted in Democrats gaining a seat.
Minority Leader Robert Farley, R-Glenville, announced before the election cycle he wouldn’t seek reelection, leaving incumbent Republican James Buhrmaster to run with two new Republican candidates.
In the district’s vote for the two open seats, Buhrmaster did retain his seat with 5,576 votes, or 28 percent, but Thomas Constantine nabbed the seat formerly held by Farley by garnering 5,724 votes, or 29 percent. Democrat Cathryn Bern-Smith failed to nab a seat and had 4,178 votes, or 21 percent, and Republican Michael Dieterich also lost and held 4,370 votes, or 22 percent.
Also, in the District 3, in a vacancy race, Democrat Catherine Gatta retained her seat, which she was appointed to after Susan Savage resigned from the legislature. Gatta held 5,986 votes, or 58 percent, to win her bid over Republican Kurt Semon holding 4,267 votes, or 42 percent.
