Unofficial Results Show Clarkstown Incumbents Re-elected

Clarkstown voters re-elected Supervisor Alex Gromack to a new two-year term over challenger Brian Moran. Gromack received 12,165 votes or 72.20 percent of the unofficial count to Moran’s 4,658 or 27.65 percent. Moran ran on the Preserve Rockland/Clarkstown line. 

Gromack spoke about the apparent victory of all Clarkstown incumbents. 

I think the message is in Clarkstown people are pleased with the direction the town is going in,” he said. 

Gromack said the vote was partisan and incumbents came from the Democratic and Republican parties. 

“I think there is a lot of confidence by the people of Clarkstown in the job the incumbents have done,” he said. 

Incumbent Republican Highway Superintendent Wayne Ballard received 9,992 votes or 50.64 percent according to the unofficial count. The unofficial results showed Democrat Dennis Malone received 9,730 votes or 49.31 percent.

Gromack spoke about the competitive highway superintendent race.

“I think everybody knew that was a hotly contested race,” he said.

Gromack believes the majority of absentee ballots will be in Ballard’s favor.

“I’m hearing he is going to get a good percentage of those,” said Gromack. 

Ballard has been highway superintendent for 16 years and Malone is the department’s fleet manager. The election is for a two-year term.

For Clarkstown voters, 1,981 absentee ballots were issued and as of Monday 876 had been returned. The latest postmark that mailed ballots can have is November 4. The deadline for the Rockland County Board of Elections to receive mailed ballots is November 12. 

Ballard said, "It’s time to heal those wounds. He conceded the race. I look forward to working with the town board to resolve this. To make consolidation (what) it should be. This was a campaign that began in March and it concludes tonight and I say ‘Thank God for that.’ The Clarkstown voters have spoken. They said that experience and proven leadership are what they want. "

Incumbent council members Stephanie Hausner and George Hoehmann won re-election for four more years. The unofficial tally showed and Hoehmann, a Republican, leading with 10,826 votes or 29.39 percent and Hausner, a Democrat, receiving 10,130 votes or 27.50 percent. Challengers John Noto, a Republican, and Robert Pitkofsky, a Democrat, received 8,879 and 6,988 votes respectively. 

“I feel good but it’s bittersweet because I was supporting David Fried,” said Hausner.

Hoehmann said, "I’m very humbled and honored that the people of Clarkstown have returned me to office for the next four years. I look forward to working closely with other members of the board and really pushing forward our agenda of a smaller, more effective government and term limits as well."

Town Clerk Justin Sweet did not have an opponent and was re-elected to his second two-year term with 14,654 votes or 99.71 percent according to the unofficial results. 

Incumbent Republican Town Justices Craig Johns and Scott Ugell each received more than 30 percent of the vote according to unofficial results. Johns, who has served as a justice for 20 years, led with 12,097 votes or 32.96 percent and Ugell, who has been on the bench for 22 years, received 11,843 or 32.27 percent. Democratic challengers Adam Garth and Ed Kallen received 5,998 or 16.34 percent and 6,742 or 18.37 percent respectively. Johns and Ugell will serve four-year terms.

Kallen said on one level he was personally disappointed to not be elected but found it encouraging that so many people came out to vote.