By June Mercer | Monday, October 19, 2026
If you voted in Dutchess County last fall, you already elected a county legislature. All 25 members took office after the November 2025 election. Now, one year later, all 25 seats are on the ballot again for November 3, and that is not a mistake or a do-over. Albany changed the rules. The state's even-year election law, signed in December 2023, shifts county elections onto the same calendar as state and federal races. The 2025 legislature was elected under the old cycle. The 2026 legislature is elected under the new one. Both elections are legitimate, and the second does not cancel the first: members elected last fall served their interim term, and the seats are now up under the permanent new schedule.
This is what that means for November 3, and where every district stands.
Why every seat is up this year
In December 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill S3505B, the even-year election law. The law shifts county and town elections to even-numbered years so they run alongside state and federal election cycles. Before the law, Dutchess County Legislature seats were elected in odd years, most recently in 2025. Under the new law, those same seats are up again in 2026, beginning the permanent even-year cycle. These are regular elections under the new schedule, not special elections called for any vacancy or emergency. The distinction matters: no seat is open because of a resignation or an appointment. Every one of the 25 races is an ordinary general election under a new statewide calendar.
The Dutchess County Legislature is the county's lawmaking body, responsible for county law and the county budget. All 25 of its members face voters this year.
The eight seats already decided
Eight districts have only one candidate on the certified ballot. Absent a write-in surprise, those seats are settled:
District 4 (Hyde Park, Town of Poughkeepsie): Brendan Lawler (Democratic, Working Families)
District 6 (Town of Poughkeepsie): Tonya Speed (Democratic)
District 8 (City and Town of Poughkeepsie): Brendli (Democratic, Working Families)
District 11 (Clinton, Pleasant Valley, Rhinebeck): Brennan Kearney (Democratic, Working Families)
District 16 (Fishkill and Beacon, including Beacon Ward 4): Yvette Valdés Smith (Democratic, Working Families), the incumbent. Valdés Smith was also the 2024 Democratic nominee for the state Senate seat in this area, losing narrowly to Rob Rolison, 49.3 percent to 50.7 percent.
District 18 (Beacon and Fishkill, including Beacon Wards 1 to 3): Molly Rhodes (Democratic, Working Families), the incumbent
District 19 (Stanford, Pine Plains, Milan, Red Hook, North East, Millerton): Chris Drago (Democratic, Working Families)
District 20 (Red Hook, Tivoli, Rhinebeck): Kristofer Munn (Democratic, Working Families)
The 17 real contests
Seventeen districts have two candidates on the certified ballot. They are listed below by district number, with the towns each covers, so you can find your race.
District 1 (Town of Poughkeepsie): Robert V. Gorman (Republican, Conservative) vs. Trevor Redl (Democratic, Working Families).
District 2 (LaGrange, Pleasant Valley, Town of Poughkeepsie): Emma Arnoff (Democratic, Working Families) vs. Anne Burger (Republican, Conservative).
District 3 (LaGrange): Michael Polasek (Republican, Conservative) vs. David Siegel (Democratic, Working Families).
District 5 (Town of Poughkeepsie): Tony D'Aquanni (Republican, Conservative) vs. Anna Shah (Democratic, Working Families).
District 7 (Hyde Park, Pleasant Valley): Lew Darrow (Republican, Conservative) vs. Trish Prunty (Democratic, Working Families).
District 9 (City of Poughkeepsie): Barrington R. Atkins (Democratic, Working Families) vs. Aaron P. Scott (Republican, Conservative).
District 10 (City of Poughkeepsie): Shanta A. Persad Saeteros (Republican) vs. Nakia N. Simmons (Democratic, Working Families).
District 12 (East Fishkill): Anthony Giaccone (Democratic) vs. John Metzger (Republican, Conservative).
District 13 (East Fishkill, Wappinger): Kevin M. Giles (Republican) vs. Keith Odums (Democratic, Working Families).
District 14 (Town of Poughkeepsie, Wappinger): Lynne Miele-Versaci (Republican, Conservative) vs. Alix Winsby (Democratic, Working Families).
District 15 (Wappinger): Robert S. Faust (Republican, Conservative) vs. Kyle Fendrich (Democratic, Working Families).
District 17 (Town and Village of Fishkill): Doug A.A. McHoul (Republican, Conservative) vs. Mike Schade (Democratic, Working Families).
District 21 (East Fishkill): Stephen M. Caswell (Republican, Conservative) vs. Francine M. Caracappa (Democratic, Working Families).
District 22 (Beekman, Union Vale): Joseph Tresca (Republican) vs. Heidi Tucci (Democratic, Working Families).
District 23 (Pawling, Beekman, East Fishkill): Marty Mygan (Democratic, Working Families) vs. Chris Rolison (Republican, Conservative).
District 24 (Dover, Pawling): Andrew J. House (Republican, Conservative) vs. August Uribe (Democratic, Working Families).
District 25 (Amenia, Washington, Pleasant Valley, Millbrook): Eric Alexander (Democratic, Working Families) vs. Stefanie W. Hubert (Republican, Conservative).
The total: 17 contested races, 8 unopposed. That covers all 25 districts.
The rest of the county ballot
The only other county-level contest in Dutchess this year is Sheriff. Kirk A. Imperati (Republican, Conservative) is running unopposed for a second elected term.
County Clerk, County Comptroller, District Attorney, County Court judge, and Family Court judge are not on the 2026 Dutchess ballot. Those offices run on separate schedules set outside the even-year law. The Comptroller seat and a County Court seat were decided in 2025.
Before you vote
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls open at 6 AM and close at 9 PM. Every registered voter in Dutchess County is on the ballot this year, in every district. If you are not sure which district you live in, the Board of Elections can tell you.
Early voting runs Saturday, October 24 through Sunday, November 1, 2026. Any registered Dutchess County voter may cast a ballot at any of the county's seven early voting sites during that period, regardless of which site is nearest to their home. You do not have to vote at your assigned Election Day polling place during early voting.
Voter registration must be received by Saturday, October 24, 2026. That is the same date early voting begins. October 24 is also Golden Day: an eligible voter who is not yet registered can register and vote on the same day at any early voting site. After October 24, registration for this election is closed.
The Dutchess County Board of Elections is at 112 Delafield Street, Poughkeepsie; phone 845-486-2473. The Board of Elections can confirm your district number and polling place. For early voting site locations, hours, and mail ballot rules, see the Dutchess County voting guide.
Reporting from the Uncanny Valley covers Dutchess County government and elections. This piece is straight election service reporting. No endorsements are made and no race outcomes are predicted.
