Acting Essex County Clerk Chelsea Merrihew was elected to lead the office for the next four years over North Hudson town Supervisor Stephanie DeZalia in a 60% to 40% vote split on Tuesday, according to unofficial election results from the county Board of Elections.

Merrihew, who ran on the Republican and Conservative lines, got 4,559 votes while DeZalia, who an on the independent “New Visions” party line, got 2,985, a difference of 1,574 votes. With the county Board of Elections having mailed out a total of 799 absentee ballots, Merrihew’s lead was solidified by the election results on Tuesday.

DeZalia conceded the race after it was clear the gap was too wide for absentee ballots to make up, wishing Merrihew fulfillment in the role and thanking the many people she met on the campaign trail.

Merrihew was “very pleased” with the results, she said in the waning hours of the night.

“It’s been a challenging year but also very rewarding,” she said.

After longtime Essex County Clerk Joseph Provoncha retired last November, she became the acting clerk and immediately jumped into an election while having to juggle the new responsibilities and having a family with two young kids at home. Merrihew had been the deputy county clerk for four years before then, and has a total of 15 years of experience in the office in a variety of roles.

She said she chose to take all this on because she really enjoys the work she does in the office.

“I feel blessed that I have a job I like going to every day,” she said.

Her passion can be seen in past statements, like her saying that digitizing county records to make them more accessible and centralized is a “records management dream of mine.”

Now, she’s preparing to focus on her goals leading the office. Her main focus for change is to get DMV staffing back up to adequate levels to reopen the satellite offices in Ticonderoga and North Elba.

“I’m looking forward to really being able to put my full attention on it,” Merrihew said.

She added that a big thing that’s looming for clerks is the implications of the Clean Slate Act, which was passed by the state legislature this year. Gov. Kathy Hochul has not signed this into law yet, and would need to do so by the end of the year, but Merrihew said county clerks are being advised that she is likely to sign it and to be prepared.

If this law goes into effect, Merrihew said clerks offices across the state will need to figure out processes to seal criminal records for eligible individuals and for certain crimes.

Sealing records is not uncommon for clerks offices, but usually it is done on an individual basis. This law would bring a ton of sealings en masse to the offices for a wide range of felonies and misdemeanors.

DeZalia said it has been an “extreme honor” to serve Essex County, first in the county clerk’s office for 15 years and then as a North Hudson town councilor, supervisor and county representative for the past five years.

“I extend my sincere thanks and extreme gratitude to my family, friends and my loyal supporters,” she said. “I could not have gotten through this long campaign without you. I have been humbled by your unwavering efforts. I have been blessed with new friends along the way. … I have been surrounded by many inspiring public servants and it has been an honor working with them.

“I met so many wonderful people who I did not even know before this campaign that have been so, so gracious to me,” DeZalia added. “That’s my biggest message, is that I really, really appreciate all of them.”

She and Merrihew worked together for 15 years.

“I wish her success and fulfillment in her new role,” DeZalia said.

She hopes Merrihew is successful in her campaign promises, namely reopening the Ticonderoga DMV. That was one of DeZalia’s stated goals as well, and she said that DMV office is important for the community and surrounding areas in the southern region of the county.

DeZalia said she did not want to divulge her future plans yet.

DeZalia did not run for reelection to the North Hudson town and county seat in order to attempt a run for this clerk seat. Unofficial election results show Republican Chris Clark with the lead for this supervisor seat on Tuesday. DeZalia said she will fulfill her commitment to the town of North Hudson until Dec. 31.

“I’ve got a lot of projects going in North Hudson at the moment and I want to make sure those are tied up, ready to go for the next administration, so I’ll be busy until the end of year,” she said. “We have a housing project. We have a fitness campaign and a Main Street revitalization.”

Merrihew thanked people for turning out to vote. She said it is challenging to run in an “off year,” which doesn’t generate the voter turnout as larger election years.

“I’m happy for the people that take the time to come out, because local government is so important,” Merrihew said.