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SARATOGA SPRINGS – The City Council will begin 2020 much as it will conclude 2019, with four of five current members returning for renewed two-year terms following this week’s citywide election with a majority of incumbents being re-elected to their respective seats.
Democrat city Mayor Meg Kelly (D, WF, I) bested Republican challenger Timothy Holmes by a greater than 2-to-1 margin, scoring the night’s largest margin of victory in local elections.
Incumbent DPW Commissioner Anthony “Skip” Scirocco defeated challenger Dillon Moran 54.04% - 45.90%, current Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan bested challenger Patty Morrison 54.77% - 45.03%, and Commissioner of Accounts John Franck will resume his current post after running unopposed.
Earlier this year, Democrat Peter Martin announced he would not seek re-election as Public Safety Commissioner. That position will be filled in 2020 by Republican Robin Dalton, who defeated Democrat Kendall Hicks 53.61 % - 46.19 % on Election Day.
Dalton described herself as “overwhelmed and inspired” by the support of voters. “I truly am heartened by the fact that when you get involved in this community and you give back in this community… they give it back to you in spades,” she told a crowd of GOP well-wishers gathered at the Holiday Inn on Election Night that included prominent local party members Elise Stefanik, Jim Tedisco and John Sweeney.
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who represents the 21st District, also addressed the crowd, congratulating “all of the candidates with the courage to step into the political arena,” reminding attendees that she will be running for re-election next November and localizing White House talking points to take a swipe at political adversaries. “We are seeing the Democratic Party split into Socialism and seeing far-left influences right here in Saratoga County,” Stefanik said.
Perhaps surprisingly, Democrat city Mayor Meg Kelly and Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan – a Democrat running on the Working Families, Independence Party, and SAM lines – also took the stage at the GOP gathering to address the crowd.
“This is a real turning point for this city,” Kelly said after securing her re-election win. “We are all working together for the betterment of Saratoga Springs, and we need to remember that. We don’t need these nasty campaigns. We’re going to turn the tide all working together.”
“I could not have done this without every single person in this room,” added Finance Commissioner Madigan, standing next to Kelly. “Democrats for Madigan. Republicans for Madigan.”
In June’s Democratic Primary for the party’s representation for Commissioner of Finance, challenger Patty Morrison narrowly defeated the incumbent Madigan. The Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee had endorsed Madigan prior to the vote and following her Primary Election loss, several members of the SSDC staged a high-profile walk-out.
“I am proud of our grassroots campaign because the thousands of people we spoke to helped form our forward-looking platform for a stronger Saratoga Springs,” said Morrison, in her concession statement following Tuesday’s general election. “A sincere thank you to all our supporters and volunteers. It was a hard-fought race, and I truly believe in the best for our community. I look forward to continuing to serve on the school board and in many other effective ways for the community. I wish Commissioner Madigan the best and for her service.”
Incumbent city Democrat Supervisor Tara Gaston, Democrat candidates Morrison and Dillon Moran and party supporters were joined by 20th District Democrat Congressman Paul Tonko at The Inn at Saratoga.
Gaston, Democrat incumbent Supervisor, and Matthew Veitch, Republican incumbent Supervisor, each received more votes than challenger Stephen Mittler (R,C,L) and were both re-elected to represent the city of Saratoga Springs at the county level as supervisors.
Voter Enrollment in Saratoga Springs is 18,691 and with 7,344 ballots cast, the 2019 election marks the lowest city voter turnout since 2011, and the second lowest city voter turnout in the past nine elections, dating to 2003, according to the Saratoga County Board of Elections.
All five City Council seats and two Supervisor positions are voted on every two years. Under the city’s commission form of government in matters of governing, the voting power of each of the five city council members is equal; each council member gets one vote.
Saratoga Springs 2019 Election Unofficial Vote Totals
MAYOR:
Meg Kelly
(D, WF, I) | 4,887 (68.67 %
Timothy Holmes
(R) | 2,222 (31.22 %)
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY:
Robin Dalton
(R, C, L, I, SAM) | 3,695 (53.61%)
Kendall Hicks
(D) | 3,184 (46.19%)
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS:
Anthony “Skip” Scirocco
(R, C, I) | 3,848 (54.04%)
Dillon Moran
(D) | 3,268 (45.90%)
COMMISSIONER OF ACCOUNTS:
John Franck
(D, WF, I) | 5,623, ran unopposed
COMMISSIONER OF FINANCE:
Michele Madigan
(WF, I, SAM) | 3,615 (54.77 %)
Patty Morrison
(D) | 2,972 (45.03 %)
SARATOGA SPRINGS SUPERVISOR (VOTE FOR TWO):
Matthew Veitch
(R, C, I) | 4,536 (40.7%)
Tara Gaston
(D, WF) | 3,499 (30.91%)
Stephen Mittler
(R, C, L) | 3,273, (28.91%)
