Sharon Springs Races Decided by Write-Ins

By Alexis Pencar

SHARON SPRINGS — Election Day 2025 has come and gone in Sharon Springs! Big Congratulations to all the candidates that stepped up and ran for office this cycle! And another THANK YOU to all those citizens that participated in their civic duty and got out to vote! Village of Sharon Springs “election results are still unofficial as absentee ballots are being collected until November 17th with official results available likely by November 29th” as according to an official at the Schoharie County Board of Elections.

With detailed results and statements from the winning candidates, this year was a win for the community with so many stepping up as write-ins, in turn getting more residents involved and informed!

Election Results

Village Mayor was won by write-in candidate and Deputy Mayor Paul Novko by a substantial amount, with Krystina Jacquot coming in second.

The race for Village Trustee was for three spots with the first being won by the only candidate on this cycle’s ballot, Will Kleffner. For the remaining positions, many write-in candidates came forward only weeks prior and one just a day before. The other two Trustee positions were won by write-in Ariana Love and write-in Bill Barbic Jr, both with previous ties to the Village. Other write-ins that gained vote(s) for this race included: Brooke Billinghurst, Tony Daou, Ted Huggins, Krystina Jacquot, Ken Kennedy, Ron Ketelsen, Joyce Slater, and Frank Tucker.

Please find the following statements from our winning candidates:

Paul Novko for Mayor: “Thank you for putting your trust in me! I hope to do the best job possible.”

Will Kleffner for Trustee: “To the residents of Sharon Springs: I am deeply honored and grateful for your trust in electing me as Village Trustee. Since Caroline and I moved here in 2023, we have been touched by how welcoming this community has been—and now, through your votes, you've shown that same confidence in me. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Black Cat Café, shared your thoughts and concerns, and believed in our shared vision for thoughtful growth, open communication, and preserving the unique character that makes Sharon Springs so special. I promise to serve with integrity, transparency, and a commitment to making our village safe, happy, and affordable for all. I look forward to working on your behalf and remaining accessible throughout my term. Thank you for this extraordinary opportunity to serve Sharon Springs!”

Arianna Love for Trustee: “I just want to say a thank you to everyone in the Village of Sharon Springs who took the time to write my name in and vote me in as Trustee. I’m grateful for your support and excited to be back on the board as Trustee. I’m looking forward to working with our new mayor and fellow board members as we continue moving our village forward and helping Sharon Springs thrive.”

Bill Barbic Jr. for Trustee: “Thank you for the support! I’m looking forward to the future!”

With this election now behind us, please stay up to date with Village and Town news through our coverage that we are proud to provide here at Mountain Eagle & Schoharie News!

If you have any questions about the election results, please contact the Schoharie Board of Elections at (518) 295-8326 or visit their website. Please take note that there is a new county website but that the old website is still coming up on Google. Ensure the web address doesn’t have “www4.” as this is the old page and you can correct it by just removing that “4”. Also, feel free to reach out to the Village Office with any additional questions at (518) 284-2625.