Serino declares victory; Smythe not conceding
Incumbent Republican Sue Serino declared victory Tuesday in her bid for reelection to the state Senate, but her Democratic challenger Karen Smythe on Wednesday said not so fast.
With 100 percent of the polling places reporting, Serino had a lead of 56,462 to 54,316 over Smythe.
Serino, a two-term senator, released a statement late Tuesday declaring herself the victor in the race. She said she was “incredibly proud to be able to serve the people of the 41st Senate District once again” and also “truly humbled”
Smythe, though, said that with upward of 10,000 absentee ballots requested in the 41st Senate District, she’s not willing to concede defeat yet.
“It’s very close,” the firsttime candidate said. “It’s neck and neck.”
Smythe said it was important to her that all the votes be counted, and she said she would wait until that process is completed before declaring the race over.
A Red Hook resident, Smythe is a political novice and former president of C.B. Strain, a familyowned mechanical contracting business.
Serino is a former Dutchess County legislator and owner of Serino Realty in Hyde Park.
The 41st Senate District encompasses all of Dutchess County, except the towns of Pawling and Beekman; and the Putnam County towns of Kent, Philipstown and Putnam Valley.
Information about the number of absentee ballots returned or when those ballots would be counted was not available from the Dutchess County Board of Elections or the Putnam County Board of Elections on Wednesday.