Cape Vincent supervisor among close town races

There were several close town office races in Jefferson County, and absentee votes could easily swing the results in some contested races.

Voters in Cape Vincent apparently re-elected Democratic Supervisor Thomas K. Rienbeck, according to unofficial results. Mr. Rienbeck received 532 votes, while Republican challenger Urban C. Hirschey received 490 votes.

Mr. Rienbeck said that he felt pretty good about the unofficial results Tuesday night but that the results were too close to declare his victory.

"Obviously, the wind issue is a hot issue and I guess that's what swung some votes," he said.

Mr. Hirschey is a leader of Wind Power Ethics Group, which has opposed wind development in the town. Supervisor Rienbeck has supported the wind farm projects.

The Times was unable to reach Mr. Hirschey on Tuesday night.

"Hopefully, things will stay the way they are right now," Mr. Rienbeck said.

Also in Cape Vincent, Republican Brooks J. Bragdon, a member of the ethics group, and Democratic incumbent Mickey W. Orvis each won a Town Council seat, with 510 and 505 votes, respectively.

Richard H. Macsherry, a Democrat, came in third with 466 votes, and John L. Byrne III, Cape Vincent Citizens Party, and Republican Raymond R. Benjamin received 374 and 128 votes, respectively.

Mr. Bragdon, who will be replacing Councilman Joseph H. Wood, was the top vote-getter despite conflicts with his own political party. The local Republican committee dropped its support for Mr. Hirschey, Mr. Bragdon and Mr. Benjamin because several members felt the Democratic contenders were more qualified.

In Alexandria, incumbent Martha M. Millett, Democrat, unofficially won the town supervisor race in Alexandria with 721 votes, nearly 200 more votes than Republican opponent F. Sampie Sutton. Mr. Sutton, a former town supervisor, received 534 votes.

Mr. Sutton, who was twice defeated by Ms. Millett, said he does not plan to run for town office again.

"I'm retired. I'm done," he said. "They just needed somebody else."

Ms. Millet said she was "elated" and glad that the town residents backed her in the race.

Mr. Sutton served as town supervisor for 10 years until he was defeated, 640-571, by Ms. Millett in the November 2007 general election.

In the Henderson supervisor race, Republican Raymond A. Walker won a landslide victory against Steven C. Cote, Democrat, 290-95.

"I'm somewhat astonished that I won by the margin I did," Mr. Walker said.

Current Supervisor Clyde E. Moore also ran as a write-in candidate, but it appeared his bid fell short since there were not enough votes outstanding to defeat Mr. Walker. Mr. Moore was defeated by Mr. Walker in the Republican primary and had no other line on the ballot.

Republican Torre J. Parker-Lane secured one of the two Town Council seats with 347 votes, with Republican Frank W. Ross a likely winner of the other seat with 272 votes. Democrats Robert E. Aliasso Jr. and David Perry had 247 and 223 votes, respectively.

In Hounsfield, Timothy W. Scee, who ran on the Democrat and Independence Party lines, defeated Republican Supervisor Martin A. Delsignore, 582-491.

Mr. Scee said he would like to make the town's operations more transparent to the public and restore communication between the town officials that was lacking under Mr. Delsignore's supervision.

"I want to pull the town's elected officials together and get things done," he said.

Democratic Incumbent Yvonne M. Podvin did not gain enough votes to stay on the Town Council. She received 414 votes, while her Republican challengers, Todd R. Farrington and Vincent J. Battista III, won the two council seats with 590 and 595 votes, respectively. The fourth candidate, Democrat David J. Phillips, received 454 votes.

Rutland residents chose incumbent Gary D. Eddy as their supervisor. Mr. Eddy, a Republican, got 478 votes. Michael Gillette, who held the Conservative line, received 296 votes.

Also, voters booted incumbent Douglas A. Main, who ran on the Conservative line, from the Town Council. Mr. Main received 271 votes, about 300 votes fewer than his opponents.

The two council seats went to Republicans Clarence G. Woodruff and Kenneth E. Gleason Jr., who received 540 votes 592 votes, respectively.

Rutland voters re-elected incumbent Claude F. Phelps, who received 625 votes, as its highway superintendent. Challenger Timothy J. Percy received 163 votes. In September, Mr. Percy was indicted on a charge of second-degree conspiracy to sell cocaine in Jefferson County Court. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and has not yet gone to trial.

In Watertown, Democratic Supervisor Joel R. Bartlett was re-elected with 640 votes, ahead of 423 for his Republican challenger, Robert L. Swank.

In Orleans, Donna J. Chatterton, the Democratic incumbent, won the supervisor race, 489-310, against Councilman Peter R. Davis, who ran on the Republican and Independence Party lines.

Voters replaced Democratic incumbent Dean Morrow, who received 355 votes, on the Town Council with Democrat Gwendolyn Kirkby, who received 412 votes, and Republican Peter Wilson, who received 406. The other council seat is being vacated by Mr. Davis. Republican Louis Nuffer came in fourth, with 338 votes.