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Chelsea Merrihew elected Essex County clerk Tuesday with 60% of votes

ELIZABETHTOWN — 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.

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 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.”

DeZalia said 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.

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