Democrats win 2 open seats in Third District

Incumbent Republican ousted in 3-way contest

KINGSTON, N.Y. >> Democrats claimed the two open seats in a three-way race for the state Supreme Court Third Judicial District, ousting an incumbent Republican justice in the process.

With 742 of 792 precincts reporting, Albany County Family Court Judge Margaret Walsh was the top vote-getter in the contest, tallying 174,006, while Albany County Judge Peter Lynch garnered 153,137.

Incumbent Justice William McCarthy trailed with 130,116 votes.

The Third Judicial District comprises seven counties, including Ulster, Greene and Columbia.

Walsh, 53, has been an Albany County Family Court judge since 2005 and was appointed an acting Supreme Court justice for the Third Judicial District in 2009.

The Slingerlands resident is under investigation by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct in connection with a hitand-run accident in June. According to her attorney, Gregory Teresi, Walsh was backing out of the driveway of her mother’s Delmar home when she hit a parked car. After allegedly striking the vehicle, Walsh drove away. She was tracked down by police the next day and ticketed.

Lynch, 64, has been an Albany County judge since 2013.

Because state Supreme Court justices can only serve until the age of 70 without special certification from the state, Lynch will be able to serve just six years of the 14-year term before needing a waiver from the state to remain on the bench. If granted a waiver, he could serve the out the remaining eight years of the term.

McCarthy, 54, was elected to a state Supreme Court judgeship in 2004 and since 2009 has served as an associate justice in the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department.