VESTAL, NY (WSKG) — Leading by a significant margin with polls closed Tuesday, Jared Kraham declared victory in his bid for Binghamton mayor.
Leading by 9.9% over Democratic candidate, Joseph Burns, with all in-person and early voting results compiled, Republicans appeared poised to maintain control of the mayor’s office for another four years.
"I first of all want to thank the voters of the City of Binghamton. They stepped up. They showed up to vote,” Kraham said addressing Broome County Republicans at the Holiday Inn shortly after declaring victory. “I listened to them on their front porches and their front lawns and they voted for continued progress in the City of Binghamton.”
Kraham also invoked his late father, former Broome County Executive Jeffrey Kraham, in his remarks.
"He'd be very proud of me today. It's obviously an emotional night for me, my mom, my sister. But in some ways, it's a completely new beginning,” Kraham said.
Kraham, 30, will take over following eight years as executive assistant to the mayor under Rich David, who was term-limited.
Burns did not respond to requests for comment from WSKG Tuesday evening, but Kraham says the city councilman did call to concede the race.
Earlier in the evening Binghamton City Democratic Committee Chairwoman Teri Rennia told WSKG city Democrats still need to push back on Republicans’ record in city hall moving forward.
"We've really got to start holding the administration's feet to the fire. They owe it to the residents. They owe it to the residents to be respectful and responsive,” Rennia said.
Just over 1,000 absentee ballots were sent out to city voters according to figures provided by the Broome County Board of Elections Tuesday. Burns would have to win just over 89% of those ballots to close the gap against Kraham, which is highly improbable. The absentee ballots won’t be officially counted until mid-November.
Kraham will officially take office beginning Jan. 1, 2022.