Joe Gentile is reporting in the Register Star Democrat Mallory Mort has defeated three-term Republican incumbent Larry Van Brunt in the three-way race to fill two vacancies on the Ghent Town Board. Mort pulled ahead by 39 votes following a count of absentee ballots at the Columbia County Board of Elections, Mon., Nov. 18. Incumbent Chuck Wood was easily re-elected to fill the other seat, running on the Democratic, Republican and Independence lines. Since the death of former Town Supervisor Larry Andrews in August, Van Brunt served as Ghent's acting supervisor. He did not seek election as supervisor, running instead for re-election to his council seat. When contacted Monday, Mort said, “I’m very pleased to serve on the Town Board and hope to represent the citizens of Ghent." Read the full story in the Register Star.