GREENPORT — Democrat Jackie Salvatore won the race for Columbia County Sheriff on Tuesday night, becoming the first Black woman elected county sheriff in New York state history. Salvatore, who is currently the undersheriff, defeated Republican John Rivero, 58% to 42%, with all 62 election districts reporting as of 10:46 p.m.

Salvatore, 60, served in the New York State Police for 28 years. She rose to the rank of detail commander and ran the State Police Employee Assistance Program, which offers psychological counseling to officers and their families. After leaving the State Police, she entered the private sector, running operations for United Airlines at the Albany International Airport and managing a literary agency, she said in an interview. She listed the Employee Assistance Program as her proudest accomplishment in her law enforcement career.
Salvatore was Sheriff Donald Krapf’s pick for undersheriff in 2021 and campaigned alongside him that year, even though the position is appointed and does not appear on the ballot. Krapf ran as an independent, but was backed by the Columbia County Democratic Committee.

…Columbia County has become increasingly Democratic in recent years. The number of registered Democrats surpassed registered Republicans around 2015 and has continued to rise as people relocate from more urban areas, especially New York City and its environs. The county now has a Democratic sheriff and a district attorney, and the balance of county government may turn Democratic when all the votes are tallied. Turnout was high for an off-year election, with 43% of the county’s 49,416 registered voters casting ballots, according to the Columbia County Board of Elections.

https://www.timesunion.com/hudsonvalley/news/article/jackie-salvatore-columbia-county-sheriff-election-21138741.php