With voter turnout lower even lower than typical uncontested election standards, there was still a surprise in Tuesday’s village elections. 

Bridget Holohan Scally received 43 write-in votes to become Altamont’s next village justice. Scally is currently Deputy General Counsel to the New York State Department of Labor. She is the wife of Altamont Trustee John Scally.

Rebecca Morse-Hout, who has served for nearly three decades as village justice, had declined to seek re-election and no candidate filed a petition to replace her on the bench. Altamont has two justice posts.

Other than Scally’s write-in victory, Election Day in Altamont and Voorheesville played out like every other uncontested race past. 

In Altamont, which has 1,291 registered voters, according to the village, incumbent trustees Nicholas Fahrenkopf and Michelle Ganance received 49 and 47 votes, respectively. A total of 57 ballots were cast. 

Candidates in Altamont’s last election, in 2021, received a handful more votes than their counterparts this year. Tresa Matulewicz, who filled the retiring Dean Whalen’s seat, received 52 votes. While Scally received 53 votes in his second unopposed election, down from 72 votes in 2017. And Mayor Kerry Dineen last year received 54 votes in her second unopposed run for the office, down from 71 votes in 2017. 

In Voorheesville, incumbent trustees Sarita Winchell and Kaitlin Wilson faced no competition for their four-year terms.

Winchell received 46 votes; Wilson, 45. 

A total of 47 ballots were cast. 

Voorheesville has a total voter count of 2,120, according to the latest numbers from Albany County. 

Last year, 72 residents cast ballots.