With Absentee Votes Counted, Serino-Smythe Race Decided

HYDE PARK, NY — If anyone needed more proof that every vote really does count, look no further than the race between incumbent Republican state Sen. Sue Serino and Democratic challenger Karen Symthe for the 41st Senate District.

All the votes for the Nov. 6 election were finally counted and Serino, who declared victory on Election Night, is still the winner, though the margin is much smaller.

After all absentee ballots were counted, Serino came out on top with 51,790 votes to Symthe's 51,144, the Poughkeepsie Journal said.

Patch reported Serino was the apparent winner on Nov. 6 according to unofficial results with all election districts reporting.

Symthe was able to close the vote gap by leading 3,556 to 2,409 in absentee ballots, the Poughkeepsie Journal said.

In a statement, Smythe congratulated Serino on the victory.

"It was important to me that every vote be counted, not only because this was a close race, but because I firmly believe that every vote does count," Smythe said.

"Democracy only works if people are engaged in the process, and voting is one of the most important tools we have to affect our government," she said.

Serino first took office as senator in 2015. She is a realtor from Hyde Park, who was elected to the Hyde Park Town Board in 2010 and then to the Dutchess County Legislature in 2011.

Symthe was born and raise in Poughkeepsie and is a former marketing executive who ran her family's construction business.

The 41st Senate District is comprised of parts of Dutchess and Putnam counties.

Patch file photo.