TROY – Republican Rensselaer County Executive-elect Steven McLaughlin is assembling a transition team and studying the county budget after his Democratic opponent Andrea Smyth conceded the election Tuesday.

Smyth reached her decision after the county Board of Elections began counting absentee ballots and she was not cutting McLaughlin’s election night lead. The county issued 2,586 absentee ballots and received 1,924 back to be counted.

“I just called my opponent to congratulate him. We weren’t gaining any ground with the absentees,” said Smyth of Rensselaer.

“We had a nice conversation. We felt good on election night,” said McLaughlin, a four-term assemblyman representing parts of Rensselaer, Columbia and Washington counties. McLaughlin declared victory on election night.

McLaughlin of Troy led Smyth by 949 votes on election night, 19,685 to 18,736. The county issued 2,586 absentee ballots and had received about 1,800 back. Green Party candidate Wayne Foy of Troy received 565 votes.

The final tally isn't expected for at least two weeks, as most of the absentee ballots in the county haven't been counted.

McLaughlin’s margin of victory came from the Independence and Reform lines that he gained after Deputy County Executive Christopher Meyer, a fellow Republican, bowed out of the race to run for Grafton town justice. McLaughlin received 1,924 Independence votes and 218 Reform votes. McLaughlin defeated Meyer in the Republican and Conservative primaries. Meyer was elected town justice.

McLaughlin will succeed Kathleen Jimino of Troy, who opted not to run for a fifth four-year term. The post has an annual salary of $121,300.

Assembling a transition team is a priority, McLaughlin said. In preparation for leading the county, McLaughlin said he has consulted with retired U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook, to gain insights. Throughout the primary and general election campaign, McLaughlin talked with various elected leaders throughout the county.

Economic development will be a top priority for the new administration, McLaughlin said. Programs impacting opioid addiction, senior citizens, farmers, veterans, students and first responders are on the to-do list, McLaughlin said. In many ways, he emphasized, there will be a continuation of programs he focused on during his seven years as an assemblyman.

The county executive controls the appointment of about 150 positions in county government. McLaughlin said like any new chief executive officer he will conduct a review of positions to ensure the best job possible is being done. He said he’s not coming into office to make massive personnel changes.

“I’m going to demand excellence,” he said.

While McLaughlin prepares for his new job, Smyth said her attention will be on the development of the state’s new budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Smyth is executive director of the New York State Coalition for Children's Behavioral Health