New Lebanon Election Results

by Thaddeus Flint
Mike Benson has retained his position of New Lebanon Town Supervisor after defeating Town Councilman Matt Larabee with 56% of the vote. Benson was running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence tickets, while Larabee was running as a Democrat.
[private]“I am honored to be elected to a second term as Supervisor of the Town of New Lebanon,” Benson said Wednesday.  He added, “The next two years will include much of the same plan I initiated two years ago – leadership, progress and accomplishment; no matter what the task is these will be the results.” The Town Supervisor thanked his wife, children and “all of the people who take time out of their busy schedules to do good things for New Lebanon.”
Larabee will continue his term on the New Lebanon Town Board with two new Councilmen. Republican Dan Evans had the largest tally of votes for one of two vacant seats on the Board with 406 residents voting for him. Republican Chuck Geraldi secured the second seat with 303 votes, only 18 votes more than the next closest contender, Democrat Irene Hanna, who had 285. Absentee ballots have not yet been tabulated so this race could go right down to the wire.
Incumbent Highway Superintendent, Democrat Jeff Weinstock, easily defeated his Republican challenger, K.B. Chittenden, 530 to 155. Chittenden and his fellow Councilman, Doug Clark, both chose not to run for re-election to the Town Board.
Town Clerk Colleen Teal, Town Justice Jessica Byrne and Tax Collector Tammie Darcy all ran unopposed. The complete tally is as follows:
Town Supervisor
Mike Benson         386
Matt Larabee         298
Town Board (top two)
Dan Evans             406
Chuck Geraldi       303
Irene Hanna           285
Trina Porte            127
Kevin Smith          110
Josh Schuster          70
Highway Superintendent
Jeff Winestock      530
K.B. Chittenden    155
Town Clerk (unopposed)
Colleen Teal          562
Justice (unopposed)
Jessica Byrne        586
Tax Collector (unopposed)
Tammie Darcy      637[/private]