Voters across state chose candidates in primaries
Throughout the state Thursday voters casted their votes for several primary elections.
One local race was a Democratic primary for a seat on the Watervliet City Council, with current Councilman Charles Patricelli defeating former councilwoman Ellen Fogarty.
A special election was requested by the Albany County Board of Elections earlier this year for a threeyear term for the council seat in Watervliet, after realizing past mistakes in the length of City Council members’ terms of office dating back to around 2008.
Patricelli, the endorsed Democrat, was recently informed he would need to run in a special election this year instead of in a few years. Patricelli originally joined the council after being elected in 2017.
According to the Albany County Board of Elections unofficial results, Patricelli received 731 votes, while Fogarty received 444.
Forgarty will still appear on the Independence line in the November general election.
“I was proud to be endorsed by the Watervliet Democratic Party and now the residents have spoken and elected me to be on the ballot in November,” said Patricelli in an email on Friday morning.
“My team worked hard over the last couple of months and last night proved that all their hard work paid off. I may have been on the ballot, but my team is a huge reason for this victory.”
Throughout certain parts of the state, voters also picked their choice for a Democratic candidate for the 107th New York State Assembly District. The 107th Assembly district covers parts of Rensselaer County.
According to the New York State Board of Elections unofficial results, Tistrya Houghtling received 4,283 votes, while Don Boyajian earned 3,025 votes.
Houghtling will now challenge Republican 107th Assemblyman Jake Ashby in the November general election.
In Rensselaer County, Democratic Rensselaer County District Attorney candidate Mary Pat Donnelly out-polled Republican District Attorney Joel Abelove to secure the Independence line in the November election.
Donnelly will also appear on the Democratic line, Working Families and Women Equality Party lines.
According to unofficial results posted on the Rensselaer County Board of Elections website, Donnelly received 637 votes, while Abelove received 457.
Donnelly and Abelove will face off again in the November general election.
Meanwhile state-wide, Gov. Andrew Cuomo outpolled gubernatorial candi- date Cynthia Nixon, while Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul defeated candidate Jumanne Williams in the Democratic primary.
Cuomo will challenge Republican candidate Marc Molinaro in the November general election.
According to the New York State Board of Election unofficial results, Letita James defeated Sean Patrick Maloney, Leecia Eve and Zephyr Teachout in a Democratic primary for New York State Attorney General.