FALLSBURG — In a local election marked by a large write-in campaign and closely watched council contest, Nathan Steingart has been elected the next Town Supervisor of Fallsburg. While his victory in the supervisor race is clear, the outcome of one of the two Town Council seats remains undecided, pending the review of write-in and mail-in ballots.

Steingart, who was cross-endorsed by the Democratic and Conservative parties, received 1,462 votes, or 70.29 percent, defeating a last-minute write-in challenge led by local farmer Brett Budde. Budde’s grassroots campaign gained traction in the final weeks of the race and contributed to the 618 write-in votes, or 29.71 percent, cast in the supervisor contest.

“I’m deeply honored and grateful for the trust our community has placed in me,” Steingart said in a post-election statement. “This win isn’t just mine — it’s a win for everyone who believes in what our town can be when we work together.”

Steingart said his priorities in office will include upgrading Fallsburg’s water and sewer infrastructure, starting with the replacement of undersized water mains under Route 42 and the expansion of the South Fallsburg wastewater treatment plant to meet updated environmental regulations. He also pledged to form a roundtable steering committee composed of residents from across the town’s diverse population to help guide policy and strengthen communication between the public and local government.

“With almost 20 years in government and a lifetime managing a business,” Steingart said, “I will work to restore professionalism and collaboration in town government and ensure our staff and residents feel heard, respected, and supported.”

The race for the two open Town Council seats remains partially unresolved. Councilwoman Miranda Behan secured re-election with 1,139 votes, or 28.70 percent. Current Town Supervisor Michael Bensimon, who ran for a council seat after choosing not to seek another term as supervisor, received 1,023 votes, or 25.77 percent. Amy R. Barkley-Carey, a Republican candidate, received 802 votes, or 20.21 percent.

However, 1,005 write-in votes — representing 25.32 percent of the total — were cast in the council race, leaving open the possibility that one of the write-in candidates could overtake Bensimon for the second council seat. In this race, the write-in challengers include Dara Manzi and Josh Druckman, both of whom mounted write-in campaigns.

The Sullivan County Board of Elections is expected to begin canvassing mail-in and write-in ballots in the coming days.

Behan, who secured a second term on the board, thanked her supporters in a social media post.

“I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to everyone for your unwavering faith in me, which fuels my resilience, inspires humility, and motivates me to push beyond my limits,” she wrote.