POUGHKEEPSIE – Ten-year incumbent Democrat Aileen Rohr has been defeated by Republican Al Torreggiani in her bid to remain Hyde Park Town Supervisor. The town board has also switched to Republican control with the GOP capturing three of the four seats.
“The voters in Hyde Park voted for change after 10 years of one person being the supervisor,” said the supervisor-elect.
“We can expect that I will scrutinize budgets. I will go through economic development and bring in other businesses and I can look at their projects; I can look at what they want. I’m from a construction background,” he said.
In the Town of Fishkill, Republicans Carmine Istvan and John Forman defeated two incumbent Democrats on the town board. In a separate election to fill an unexpired term, Republican Brian Wrye defeated Joe Buono, who had been appointed to the vacant seat in August, on the recommendation of Town Supervisor Ozzy Albra. The Republicans now have the majority on the town board.
The race for town supervisor in Pleasant Valley pitted Republican town board member John DelVecchio against Democratic board member Frank Mazzella. DelVecchio garnered 1,351 votes to Mazzella’s 1,262 votes.
In the largest town in Dutchess, the Town of Poughkeepsie, Supervisor Jay Baisley was re-elected.
In the Town of Wappinger, incumbent Republican Town Supervisor Dick Thurston handily defeated a challenge from Democrat Robin Licari.
Incumbent Pine Plains Town Supervisor Darrah Cloud was defeated by Republican Brian Walsh.
In the City of Poughkeepsie, incumbents Lorraine Johnson, Evan Menist, Natasha Cherry, and Yvonne Flowers were unopposed in their bids. In the first ward, Debra Long, a member of the Poughkeepsie City School District won the seat being vacated by Chris Petsas. Fourth Ward Alderwoman Sarah Brannen did not seek re-election. Democrat Nate Shook won the race against Republican Shane Egan.
In the 7th ward, a race to replace the retiring Randall Johnson III pitted Democrat Nedra Thompson against Republican Scott Emslie, with Thompson winning.
In the 8th ward, Democrat Sakima McClinton waged a write-in campaign in an effort to keep the seat she was appointed to earlier this year. She was unsuccessful, with Democrat Megan Deichler, running on the Community First line, defeated Democrat Alana Wade and Laurie Sandow, who ran on the Poughkeepsie First line.
The countywide ballot proposition, #6, seeking approval to downsize the legislature to 21 members from the current 25, was handily defeated with more than 67% of the voters opposing the plan.
For a complete list of unofficial election results in Dutchess County, click here.
