Statement from Stephen Krasner on the Town of Newburgh Council Election
This is not about any one outcome or any one individual. It is about ensuring that every voter in the Town of Newburgh can have confidence that their vote is treated equally, that decisions are applied consistently, and that the final result reflects the true will of the people.
The recent court ruling regarding the Town of Newburgh Council election underscores just how extraordinarily close this race has been from the very beginning. With the outcome now turning on a small number of ballots, the weight of each decision—and the process behind it—has never been more significant.
Mary Lou Carolan earned strong support from residents across Newburgh and has served our community with professionalism, dedication, and integrity throughout this process. That support should not be diminished simply because the margin has narrowed through ongoing legal review.
At the same time, this moment raises broader and important questions about public confidence in how elections are decided. When a race is determined by a handful of ballots, it is essential that the process be not only legally sound, but also transparent, consistent, and clearly understood by the public.
These concerns are not occurring in isolation. Our community has already been engaged in ongoing conversations about fairness, representation, and whether every voice in Newburgh is being equally heard and reflected in our local system. Situations like this—where outcomes hinge on the narrowest of margins—only heighten the importance of getting both the process and the perception of fairness right.
Recent findings by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct concluded that the presiding judge failed to disclose conflicts of interest and did not recuse herself in multiple cases involving attorneys with whom she had close personal relationships, ultimately leading to her agreement to leave the bench.
These findings are serious and reinforce a principle that should guide every level of government: decisions must be made—and must be seen to be made—with fairness, impartiality, and accountability.
This is not about any one outcome or any one individual. It is about ensuring that every voter in the Town of Newburgh can have confidence that their vote is treated equally, that decisions are applied consistently, and that the final result reflects the true will of the people.
I continue to support Mary Lou Carolan and the residents who placed their trust in her. Just as importantly, I stand firmly for a process that is transparent, accountable, and worthy of the public’s confidence—especially when the stakes are this high and the margin is this small.
Stephen Krasner