Lois defeats Coughlan in race for Dutchess comptroller

Robin Lois will be the next Dutchess County comptroller, as her lead over incumbent Jim Coughlan has grown to more than 600 votes and Coughlan called her to concede.

Lois, a Democrat, is unofficially leading the Republican Coughlan 33,020 votes to 32,368 votes, according to Dutchess Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Marco Caviglia. She led by 412 votes on election night with more than 3,000 uncounted absentee ballots across the county.

With only about “100 contested ballots that have yet to be counted,” Lois said in a statement, her victory was guaranteed.

“Jim Coughlan has called me to concede and has graciously pledged to assist me during this transition. I wish him well in his future endeavors,” she said. “Over the next month, I will be focused on the transition to make sure that I can hit the ground running for Dutchess residents and taxpayers when I take office in January.”

In a statement, Coughlan said he’s “humbled by the over 32,000 votes I’ve received” as well as only losing by “less than one percentage point.”

He also thanked his campaign staff and supporters.

“It’s my wish and expectation that every single absentee ballot be counted but at this time I graciously concede to Robin Lois in our race for Dutchess County Comptroller,” Coughlan said in the statement. “I wish Ms. Lois the best of luck in her new role and hope and trust she treats the hard working members of my staff that I had the pleasure of working with every single day with the respect they deserve.”

Jack Howland: jhowland@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4870, Twitter: @jhowl04