McArdle Captures Highway Superintendent Position By 25 Votes

By the narrowest of margins, Charles McArdle, a retired Southampton Town Police detective and union leader, will be Southampton Town’s next superintendent of highways.

McArdle, who ran on the Republican, Conservative and Working Families lines, said he learned on Tuesday, December 7, that he had edged Democrat Thomas Neely by 25 votes. That margin was confirmed by Republican Board of Elections Commissioner Nicholas LaLota.

McArdle led Neely by a comfortable 353-vote margin on Election Night, but absentee ballots were skewed heavily in favor of the Democrats. After those ballots were counted two weeks after the election, McArdle’s lead had dwindled to only 21 votes.

At that time, a dozen ballots cast for Neely were being challenged, so there was a slim but possible chance that he would be able to make up the difference.

For the second time in two years, McArdle ran a successful primary to win the endorsement for Conservative candidates on the Working Families ticket. The party has typically endorsed Democrats. He received 210 votes on Election Day on that line, which could be argued made the difference when added to his tallies on the Republican and Conservative lines.

Neely also ran on the Clean Water ticket, where he picked up 221 votes on Election Day to add to his Democratic totals.

“I want to thank the Conservative town and county leaders and the Republican town and county leaders,” McArdle said, “and my supporters in the Working Families Party.”

McArdle said it was unfortunate that the election was drawn out for a month, saying it made it impossible for him to meet with outgoing Highway Superintendent Alex Gregor to prepare to take over the job in January. Still, he said he expected a smooth transition, saying he knew many employees in the town Highway Department.

Other results in town races remain to be certified, although it is not expected that there will be any surprises.