King leads Gloversville race
Political newcomer appears victorious in four-way battleBy KAYLEIGH KARUTIS, The Leader-Herald
Article Photos
GLOVERSVILLE - After losing by a handful of votes in the Republican primary, political newcomer Dayton King made a comeback victory Tuesday and appears to have won the four-way race for mayor of the city.
King, who ran as an independent after he was bumped off the Republican line by Jo-Ann Clear in September's primary, garnered 1,057 votes to Clear's 910, according to unofficial numbers from the Fulton County Board of Elections.
King, who had led after votes were tallied on primary election night, lost the primary when absentee ballots swung the vote to Clear. For Tuesday's election, there are 265 absentee ballots out, and 181 have been received. Ballots, which must be postmarked by Nov. 2, will be opened in three or four days, election officials said Tuesday.
King, 31, credited his energy, enthusiasm and dedication to learning about issues in the city for his victory.
"I came into [the race] new, and I did my research," he said. "People saw that I'm here for the city."
While he is not claiming absolute victory yet, King said Tuesday night he will "go to bed confident" and is prepared to take on his role as mayor-elect.
Clear said when she heard of the results, she experienced a bit of deja vu.
"It sounds like the primary all over again," she said.
Clear acknowledged the chances of the absentee ballots swinging the vote in her favor are slim and said if final results maintain King as the victor, she is happy for him and wishes him well.
"It's like a job interview," she said. "The voters have made their decision, and it appears they have hired Dayton."
Clear said the race for mayor was a difficult and interesting one. She said she does not have any further political aspirations.
"This race was a tough call from day one," she said.
Democrat Judy Marcoux, who came in third with 579 votes, said she does not anticipate attempting to run for office again. She too wished King the best of luck and said she felt her role in the election was an important one.
"I did my job in the primary," she said. "I eliminated [Mayor Tim] Hughes."
Hughes lost to Marcoux in the September primary with 90 votes to Marcoux's 278.
Conservative Dirk Myers rounded out the race with 200 votes. He said he felt a lack of exposure hurt him in the race but said he is still hopeful for a political future in the city.
Myers said with 3rd Ward Councilman James Robinson elected councilman-at-large, there will be a vacancy in the 3rd Ward council seat. Myers said he lives in the 3rd Ward and hopes to be considered for the vacancy.
"I would hope the council would consider me for the position," he said. "That possibility has always been in the back of my mind."
When King assumes his post Jan. 1, he will take the helm of a city in financial turmoil. The city is facing an approximately $1.4 million gap between revenues and expenditures in the proposed 2010 budget. Some city officials have said layoffs of city employees will be inevitable to balance the budget.
The mayor's term is for four years and pays a salary of about $39,000 annually.
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Forthecommunity
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11-06-09 8:42 AM
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Lizzie, please accept my apologizies for thinking you were Mrs King. I should have realized when you used the term "fodder" I am sure that word is beyond her. However, I will not apologize for my thoughts and beliefs of the Kings and the ruins that Gloversville faces at his helm. Gloversville "got it all wrong" in this election. And I am sorry. Thankfully I do not live there, so I will not feel the brunt of King's mistakes. King has a silver tongue and makes it all nice until the bottom drops out and then he runs. He will certainly let you down! Trust me, I have seen it first hand. Welcome back Al. Some of us missed you, as you seemed to really know what will happen with King's leadership. It's almost scary that you know so well.
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MadDog
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11-05-09 9:27 PM
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come on Al, you are almost there, and after meeting you at the picnic I thought you were a mans man!!!!! FTC, Lizzie is correct, by the way Lizzie hows the GESD!!!! Keep the kid's and taxpayers at the front of the pack!!! Please look at working with Mr. King in sharing services for the chance to make this a better community!!! Good Luck!!!!
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lizzie
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11-05-09 8:10 PM
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Forthecommunity, you are way off base. Maddog is correct. the majority of the posters know who I am, and frankly, I'm old enough to be the new Mayor's mother. Must be all those T-shirt companies are plagarizing that line as well. Would you have been happier if I put it in quotes? It's a line I love, and frequently use, as do many others. (Ava Peron for one)
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Adirondackal
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11-05-09 8:03 PM
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The city of Gloversville having elected an unknown supported by questionable politicians and promising to keep his full time job four years ago, then they turned around and did the exact same thing, and we are to expect a different result? For those who expect me to congratulate this guy, fahgetaboutit.
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MadDog
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11-05-09 7:09 PM
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forthecommunity, if you are saying lizzie is Mr. Kings wife you are way off base, she has identified herself on this very board. This is a perfect example of why blogs can be difficult. AL where are you, what happened to Snoop, did you guys go away on vacation because if not and you are a sore loser this will hurt your credibility. Come on Man up and take your lumps. Come on Charlie (AL) try to kick the ball again Lucy won't pull it away!!!!!!
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Forthecommunity
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11-05-09 5:27 PM
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Lizzie, I know exactly who Laurel Thatcher Ulrich is, hence my comment on your blatant plagiarism of her material. It was obvious, based on your LTTE about your husband, that you didn't come up with that yourself. Citizen60 nailed it with you.
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Preacher
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11-05-09 11:30 AM
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! Pat, did you get a call from The Architect yet?!? If I had to guess...it would be......ummmmm....let me think.....NO!
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Preacher
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11-05-09 11:28 AM
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Pat, did you get a call from The Architect yet?!?!
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westielover
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11-05-09 9:40 AM
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Inflation is the operative word.
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Discobulous
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11-05-09 9:27 AM
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Everyone's opinion has to be discounted somewhat for current inflation levels.
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lizzie
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11-05-09 9:25 AM
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rivinex, from reading your posts, you sound biased. If only 2 signatures were forged, as you claim, how did 45 affidavits end up submitted? Actually, rivenex, you sound a lot like that guy everyone has been asking for. Given the results of the election, that theory makes a lot of sense.
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westielover
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11-05-09 8:46 AM
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rivinex, we all have our opinion. Seems like some here think that their opinion is worth more than others.
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MadDog
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11-05-09 8:29 AM
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Sorry folks, just got back into town, WOW!!! AL, it sure is QUIET!!!! Remember how your negative comments on a daily basis turned people one by one away from voting for Mrs. Clear, the lost votes were the people who were undecided on Mr. King or Mrs. Clear. Also tell snoop (your pal) that there was a -55% ratio on that Siena Poll. On a serious note Congrats to all of the candidates for the efforts they put forward, many people talk the talk but you folks walked the walk. Good luck to Mayor elect Dayton King you have a very difficult road ahead, I must say after meeting you I think you will rise to the occasion and hopefully the council people will stop playing the games people play and work with you on a daily basis for bringing back Gloversville to the best it can be. Good Luck!!!!!!
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SaitoSan
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11-05-09 7:54 AM
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It also bears mentioning that after years of front page stories about in-fighting, political scandal, and civil lawsuits from former employees, the last person the Leader Herald wanted to see win this election was Dayton King. What ever will the LH cover if city government actually starts working for the people? What are they going to do with all of the pre-wirtten editorials about the evils of closed government? I think I make some valid points - why don't I get to be editor or reporter for a day??? Is it because TheArchitect used the word "opining"? I know long words, too.
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SaitoSan
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11-05-09 7:47 AM
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Can we please not pretend that Ms. Marcoux was motivated by her civic duty regarding the Hughes issue? Perhaps if she had spent more time campaigning and less doing TV interviews on how she saved us all from the Big Bad Mayor, the election would have turned out differently. And TiredOfTax - how I am being rude? I believe I'm just posting your own words from previous posts. I can hardly be blamed that you were obviously so completely and totally out of touch with the voting populace. I'm sorry that a fellow senior citizen did not win the election. Why don't you have a Talk of the Town roundtable about how wrong you were?
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rachelrae33
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11-05-09 7:16 AM
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Lizzie- so a woman who write a letter to editor telling everyone to stop picking on her husband is strong and not a whacko? Nope, I say whacko too...
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rocky1
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11-05-09 5:21 AM
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Voter fraud is a crime no matter who did it or how many signatures were forged. We have become a Country of buying votes, endorsing Religious discrimination and then praying you won't get caught. Our whole country is in trouble and any teeny evidence of fraud should be reported, no matter what position the person holds. No one is above any law!
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cruella
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11-04-09 11:15 PM
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You are sick!!!!
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rivinex
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11-04-09 10:52 PM
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You already have my take and I would take correction on my understanding which the JudyMarcoux poster is unable or unwilling to offer. The mayor had 2 people sign a petition for a couple who were not eligible because one was in jail before and one was not a resident. Now if that is the case and you still defend snitching over a technicality which looks like it has 0 malicious intent behind it then you would be in the same boat as the JudyMarcoux poster. You are defending a law based on crass calculation of political gain and jusifying such actions based on it "being the law" I would say that obviously makes JudyMarcoux the one with malicious intent in this case. Zero tolerance snitching for political gain. I could be wrong on the specifics, but I think not. Westielover here is what you say - "she is my friend and gosh darn it I like her. The law is the law" You have a zero on objective analysis and are biased.
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rivinex
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11-04-09 10:46 PM
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Yeah Lizzie that distinction between prosecuting frivilous and worthwhile crimes; why dont you go ahead and give some kind of delineating difference between the two since you think its so significant and relate it to the specifics while you are at it. If you dont think prosecuting drug crimes can be qualified as frivolous you are in the same boat as Judy - arguing for upholding a law based on the fact that there is a law. Fallacy of force of law in other words - an informal logical fallacy.
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westielover
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11-04-09 10:39 PM
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There isn't a person here who loves Gloversville more than Judy. Her understanding of it's history, it's architecture and current affairs rivals none. It wasn't the fact that two or three signatures were forged, many where. The election process is the backbone of our democracy and anyone making a mockery of it by disobeying election laws must be held accountable.
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lizzie
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11-04-09 10:10 PM
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Judy said the DA doesn't prosecute frivilous crimes, not worthwhile crimes. And, she's absolutely correct. No one should be above the law. It would seem to me that anyone who believes otherwise, has been on the wrong side of things a time or two.
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rivinex
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11-04-09 9:57 PM
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Sure Lukebean the republican party is the party of the working man, I know, I know. Socialism for the rich and corporate servitude for everyone else. Luke you must be under some impression that you are paying taxes for some altruistic reason. The fact is you are paying for wars, jails and schools whose real purpose is to dumb down the compliant worker bees. Your whole outlook must be clouded by American founding mythology which you see daily on your television and internet screen. I'm sure you got a good dose of American founding mythology in school too.
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rivinex
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11-04-09 9:38 PM
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So Judy your only argument is - "its the law, felonys!" Sorry arguing that something is against the law is is hardly convincing proof of it being worthy of being a crime or prosecuted. As for your assertion that the district attorney doesn't prosecute worthwhile crimes that is patently false. Look at all the people the district attorney and police arrest and prosecute for drug "crimes." So since you didnt even refute my version of what happened it seems you agree that the mayor was prosecuted because "it was against the law" and for your political gain of course. You are a snitch for political gain who uses respect the law because it is the law "arguments" Pat yourself on the back Judy, the republicans love you. Switch parties Judy the republican party generally is much better at supporting laws simply because they are the law, you will fit in perfectly.
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pbeck
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11-04-09 9:37 PM
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TheArchitect - please accept my invitation to job shadow, be a guest at an editorial board meeting, perhaps be an editor or reporter for day. Any time, just call and we can set it up.
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