ALBANY — “Tonight, a glass ceiling was shattered in the State of New York,” Gov. Kathy Hochul stated on social media in the early morning hours following her Election Day victory over Republican challenger Lee Zeldin, promising another four years in Albany. “Thank you to everyone who made it happen — this victory is yours.”
Hochul declared victory before the stroke of midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 8, though by dawn the next day there were still nearly 1,000 more election districts to report to their respective boards of election.
As of Wednesday morning, Hochul garnered less than 300,000 votes over her opponent, earning 52 percent of the 5.6 million votes collected statewide according to the New York state Board of Elections.
Other races
- Democrat Thomas DiNapoli won the state comptroller position with approximately 55 percent of the vote.
- Democrat Letitia A. James successfully defended her position as state Attorney General over Republican candidate Michael Henry by earning 53 percent of the vote.
- Democrat Charles E. Schumer will stay in Washington, earning approximately 3.1 million to Republican challenger Joe Pinion’s 2.4 million votes. Diane Sare, running under the LaRouche party line received 25,390 votes statewide.
- Three seats were available for the state Supreme Court in the 3rd Judicial District. Three judges ran under the Democrat party line while a fourth ran under the Republican line. Sharon A. Graff and Meagan K. Galligan — Democrats — earned seats behind the bench according to the state’s unofficial election results. Republican Thomas Marcelle, the only candidate running under two party lines including the Conservative line, earned the third seat with 162,525 votes to Democrat Heidi Thais Cochrane’s 160,686.
- Democrat Paul Tonko will also remain in Washington as he successfully defends his seat in the 20th Congressional District against Republican challenger Elizabeth L. Joy, garnering 54 percent of the vote statewide.
- Republican Jacob C. Ashby won the newly drawn 43rd Senate District, collecting 60,837 votes to Democrat challenger Andrea Smyth’s 53,967.
- Democrat Neil D. Breslin will maintain his seat in the State Senate, winning the 46th Senate District with 53 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Richard M. Amedure Jr.’s 44 percent share.
- Republican Christopher Tague will remain in the State Assembly, defending the 102nd Assembly seat against Democrat challenger Nicholas S. Chase by earning 64 percent of the vote.
- Republican Scott H. Bendett ran unopposed for the 107th Assembly seat. A notable 38 percent of the 62,572 ballots, however, were submitted blank.
- Democrat Patricia Fahy will remain in the State Assembly, earning 70 percent of votes to win the restructured 109th Assembly District against Republican challenger Alicia Purdy.
- Democrat Phillip G. Steck successfully defended his seat in the State Assembly, taking the 110th Assembly District with 55 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Alexandra M. Velella.
- Proposition 1 (Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022) passed with 59 percent of the vote statewide.
Local interests
- Bethlehem Town Justice Ryan T. Donovan will return to the bench for another term after running unopposed.
- Guilderland Town Justice Bryan M. Clenahan will be behind the bench. He ran without opposition.
- Democrat Jacob M. Crawford will take a seat at the Guilderland Town Board after another unopposed race.
- Proposition 2 (Farmland purchase) in Bethlehem passed, earning approximately 61 percent of the nearly 18,000 votes cast.
- Proposition 2 (Term extension) in Colonie also passed, earning 53 percent of the approximately 34,000 votes submitted.
