Judge Orders 14 Ballots Removed, Ruggiero Set to Win Newburgh Council Seat

An Orange County Supreme Court judge ordered 14 ballots stripped from the Town of Newburgh's November council canvass, a ruling that turns a 2-vote deficit into a projected win for Republican incumbent Paul Ruggiero.

Justice Sherri L. Eisenpress issued the order after Ruggiero filed an Order to Show Cause challenging the canvass. The original count had placed two Democrats on top: Mary McLymore with 3,292 votes and Mary Lou Carolan with 3,226. Ruggiero finished at 3,224, trailing Carolan by two votes in a race where the top two finishers claim the two available council seats.

With the 14 invalid ballots removed, Ruggiero is expected to clear Carolan's total and become the second-highest vote-getter, effectively displacing her from the seat.

Ruggiero's attorney, Adam Fusco, framed the ruling as a corrective to a rushed canvass. "Now that the Court has ordered all invalid ballots to be removed from the count, Paul Ruggiero will be the second highest vote getter in this election for two candidates," Fusco said. "While this race has taken several months to sort out, it is imperative to have accuracy over expediency. We look forward to the Board of Elections certifying Paul Ruggiero as winner for Newburgh Town Council."

Ruggiero responded to the ruling with a pointed declaration of intent: "I am excited to get back to work and serve the great people of Newburgh."

Carolan's attorney had not returned messages seeking comment as of Friday.

Justice Eisenpress ordered the Board of Elections to complete a retally and appear in court on April 13. Absent new legal developments, Ruggiero is expected to receive formal certification at that hearing.

The contest lays bare how razor-thin margins in local races can be reshaped by procedural review. Three candidates separated by 68 votes across two seats; 14 disqualified ballots were enough to reverse the declared outcome. The Town of Newburgh race has now stretched roughly five months past Election Day, with final resolution still two weeks away.