SARANAC LAKE — Harrietstown Councilwoman Tracey Schrader appears to have won reelection to the town board, and Doug Haney appears to be joining the board as a newcomer after unofficial election night vote totals put them as the top two out of four candidates for two open town council seats.

Incumbent Councilman Johnny Williams appears to not have won another term on the board. Former town Highway Superintendent Craig Donaldson appears to not have won a seat on the board.

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By the numbers

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A total of 1,595 voters came out on Tuesday, and 130 town residents voted during the early voting period from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2 in Malone.

They gave both of the Democratic candidates the majority of the votes.

The unofficial election night totals include in-person votes from election day and early voting.

Schrader had the most votes with 1,048, or 32% of the vote. Haney came in second with 970, or 29.6% of the vote. Williams came in third with 772, or 23.5% of the vote. Donaldson came in fourth with 489, or 14.9% of the vote.

The percentages were rounded to the nearest tenth of 1% and do not reflect any write-ins, or undervotes — ballots where voters left this race unmarked.

The Enterprise has not yet been able to get a count of the number of absentee ballots cast in this race. There is a 198-vote gap between Williams and Haney based on Election Night vote totals, which include mail-in ballots received before election day.

Absentee ballots will be counted on Nov. 12, the final day for them to arrive at the board of elections.

Earlier this month, a third seat opened up after Councilwoman Ashley Milne resigned half-way through her term. This seat wasn’t on the ballot and it’s now up to the council to appoint a new member. When this appointment will be made, and how to make that decision, are being debated. To read more about this, go to tinyurl.com/27eydwzh.

Because of a new state law shifting most of the elections in odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, the seats won tonight will only last for three years instead of four.

Even-year elections would start next year. Because of this, four-year terms elected this year will only get a three-year term and councilmembers’ seats will end in 2028. This cuts their term by one-quarter.

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Candidates react

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Schrader said the reelection win was emotional for her.

“It’s just bittersweet because I’m missing my dad tonight,” she said after a long hug.

Her father, Terry Folmsbee, died in July at the age of 82.

Schrader said she loves Harrietstown and felt “honored” to continue the work she’s been doing for eight years. She also felt “relieved” that the campaign season is over.

Williams said he tips his hat to Schrader and Haney. Now is a “pivotal time” for the Harrietstown community, he said, and he hopes that they continue to work as hard as they’re expected to on the board.

Williams was asked if he had any advice for Haney.

“Do your homework, listen to your board members,” Williams said.

Haney said he was “humbled” to be elected.

Before he is sworn in in January, he said he plans to attend all town council meetings — as he has in recent months — and to spend time with council members and Mallach to “get up to speed as fast as I can.”

“I’m most looking forward to trying to find housing solutions for the region,” Haney said. “If Harrietstown can be a leader in that, I want to be part of that momentum.”

Donaldson said he was disappointed to not be elected, but he wishes Schrader and Haney well.

“I hope they do well for the town,” Donaldson said. “They will hopefully run the town well, but that remains to be seen.”

He felt his candidacy was a shot to change things up from the status quo.

“I don’t want to hear anybody down the road talk to me and say, ‘They should do this’ or ‘They should do that,'” Donaldson said. “Well … go talk to them.”

He appreciated the vote of confidence from his supporters.

Supervisor Jordanna Mallach won reelection running unopposed with 1,230 votes.

Mallach said when no one ran against her in the caucuses, she felt that was a “vote of confidence” in her work and she appreciated all the people who came out to vote for her on Tuesday.

She also urged people to attend the town budget hearing at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday

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Other town positions

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Town Clerk Sabrina Harrison won reelection running unopposed with 1,439 votes.

Town Highway Superintendent Dan Martin won reelection running unopposed with 1,424 votes.

Town Justice Allan Wright won reelection running unopposed with 1,418 votes.