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Affidavit, absentee, and early vote-by-mail ballots have overturned Election Day results in two tightly contested Dutchess County races, shifting the outcomes for county comptroller and a seat on the Stanford Town Board.
Updated tallies from the Dutchess County Board of Elections show that Democrat Dan Aymar-Blair has unseated Republican incumbent Gregg Pulver in the comptroller race. In Stanford, Democrat Teddy Secor has narrowly edged past Republican Adrienne Zetterberg in the town board election.
Both results remain unofficial, as the Board of Elections has yet to certify the counts. The razor-thin margin in Stanford underscores the importance of the ballot cure process, which allows voters to correct errors on their ballots. That process, which could extend into December, may still influence the outcome of the Stanford race, where Secor holds a slim six-vote lead over Zetterberg — 1,061 to 1,055.
Aymar-Blair declared victory on Nov. 15 after the counting of absentee and affidavit ballots secured his lead. He now holds a 931-vote margin, with 72,624 votes to Pulver’s 71,693. The result marks a reversal from Election Night, when Pulver appeared narrowly ahead. Pulver, who falsely declared victory on Nov. 5, did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.
“You always have to wait for the counting to finish,” Aymar-Blair said. “But I’m focused on moving forward and preparing to serve the people of Dutchess County.”
Reflecting on his victory, Aymar-Blair expressed gratitude and outlined his plans for office. “I‘m just overwhelmed with humility and gratitude right now. I’m looking forward and focused on getting the office to a place where we can communicate with the people of the county better and increase the amount of work that we’re doing for the public,” he said. Aymar-Blair is set to take office Jan. 1.
