Absentees to Decide Some Town Races

Republican Jake D’Angelo celebrates his win for County Legislature, with friends, family, and supporters. Come January, he will become the youngest Putnam legislator in the county’s history.

By Holly Crocco

Editor’s Note: The following ballot counts are as of Friday, Nov. 7.

Absentee and mail-in ballots are still being counted – and received – by the Putnam County Board of Elections, and with several extremely close races, many winners are still undecided from the Nov. 4 election.

According to Democratic Election Commissioner Cathy Croft, ballots from civilians can be received through Nov. 12, with ballots from military members accepted through Nov. 19. All must be postmarked by Nov. 4 to be counted.

In Putnam Valley, the supervisor’s race is still very much up for grabs. While Republican incumbent Town Supervisor Jacqueline Annabi came out with the most number of votes on election night, the counting of absentee ballots has turned the tables, and Democrat Alison Jolicoeur was leading as of Friday, with a tally of 1,467 to 1,451 votes.

For Putnam Valley Town Board, Republican incumbent Christian Russo still had his seat as of last week, with 1,547 votes, while Democrat C.J. Brooks may have unseated incumbent Republican Stacey Tompkins by a vote of 1,526 to 1,504.

In the Town of Patterson, two sitting town board members appear to have been narrowly ousted. Democrats Stacy Dumont and Gwen Dougherty (1,095 and 1,077 votes, respectively) likely defeated Republicans Joseph Esposito and Mary Smith (1,048 and 1,019 votes, respectively).

In the Town of Kent, incumbent Republican Supervisor Jaime McGlasson seems to have kept her seat, with 1,716 votes. Challenger Democrat Alex Sewell earned 1,613 votes.

“Thank you to the residents of Kent for your continued trust, confidence, and support – it truly means the world to me,” said McGlasson. “I work hard for all of our residents and will continue to do my best every day to make Kent a place we can all be proud to call home.”

For Kent Town Board, it looks like incumbent Democratic Councilwoman Anne Campbell held onto her seat, with 1,673 votes as of Friday. Republican Eileen Olifiers was next in line for the other board seat, with 1,632 votes – a mere 10 votes more than incumbent Republican Jorma Tompuri (1,622 votes). Democrat Becca Niitzel received 1,459 votes.

A proposal to fund the Kent Public Library was approved 2,095 to 1,143.

In the Town of Carmel, incumbent Republican Town Supervisor Michael Cazzari was victorious against challenger Democrat Jean Hopper by a vote of 3,994 to 2,669, as of last week.

For Carmel Town Board, incumbents Michael Lugo and Robert Schanil Jr. were successful in their bid for re-election, with 4,363 and 4,091 votes, respectively. Democrat Brett Wieland received 2,884 votes.

In the Town of Southeast, a proposal to fund the Brewster Public Library was approved 2,230 to 1,021.

For county-wide races, Acting Sheriff Brian Hess, a Republican, was victorious in securing a long-term position, defeating independent Larry Burke by a vote of 12,201 to 5,592.

“I am truly humbled and honored to be elected as your sheriff of Putnam County,” said Hess. “This campaign was never about me alone. It was about our community, our families, and our shared commitment to safety, accountability, and service. I have seen firsthand the strength, heart, and pride of the people of Putnam County throughout this process and that will guide me every day moving forward.”

He promised to lead with integrity, transparency, and respect. “I promise to listen. And I promise to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of every resident, every neighborhood, every day,” continued Hess.

Elected to the Putnam County Legislature in the Fifth District, which represents parts of Carmel and Kent, was Republican Jake D’Angelo, who defeated Democrat Brett Yarris by a vote of 1,353 to 1,210, as of Friday.

“I am beyond grateful for every single person who supported me during this race,” said D’Angelo, who will become the youngest legislator in Putnam County history come January. “We must stand together and stay firm before we lose the country we love. To the Republicans who continue to divide our party – get on board or get out of the way. Our country is crumbling, and we can’t afford to lose it over petty politics.”

Yarris wished the newly-elected lawmaker well.

“For me, this journey has been unforgettable, and I have no regrets,” said Yarris. “This seat had its closest margin in decades, decided by less than 150 votes. The For The People line was competitive with the Conservative Party line with only a 52-vote difference.”

In legislative District Six, which represents Southeast, Republican Tommy Regan seemed to have narrowly defeated Democrat Thomas Sprague by a vote of 1,205 to 1,170, as of Friday.

In the Ninth District, which represents Carmel and Mahopac, Republican incumbent Erin Crowley was re-elected with a vote of 1,228, defeating Democrat Lenny Harrington who earned 1,022 votes.

“Thank you to the voters of Putnam County for re-electing me to a second term in the County Legislature,” said Crowley. “Serving our community is one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I look forward to continuing to work for you and your families over the next three years – fighting for lower taxes, transparency, public safety, and the quality of life that makes Putnam County home.”

The Putnam County Democratic Committee celebrated not only its apparent winners, but the increased number of votes for its candidates – even for those who were not victorious.

“Democrats in Putnam made their voices heard in numbers and ways that put cracks in the ceiling of an entrenched one-party system,” stated the committee in the days after the election, noting that Republicans “did eke out narrow wins in what are usually deep red districts who seem to be hungry for change.”

According to the committee, Carmel and Kent town candidates won the highest number of votes in recent history, particularly Carmel Town Board candidate Wieland. In addition, all three Putnam County legislative candidates lost by small margins.

“These results show that Republicans across Putnam should be concerned: Putnam is on the map for Democrats, who are winning more hearts and minds – and votes – every cycle,” stated the committee.

Also according to the committee, a recent change in voting laws that moves many local elections to even years will change the election dynamics, so more voters can have a say in local government in 2026. The ballot will be long, including federal, state, county, and local races.