By: Sarah Wright | Troy Times | Published August 13, 2024
TROY — Hirak Chanda retained his Troy City Council seat Aug. 6.
A current Troy City Council member, Chanda received 53% of the vote, with 6,765 votes, while his opponent, Ed Ross, received 47% of the vote with 6,045 votes..
The two candidates were running for a term that will end Nov. 8, 2027. The position pays $175 per month.
Chanda, a system safety engineer at General Motors, said in a candidate profile that his top priorities “include hiring more police officers, revitalizing our library and parks, bringing back senior programs lost during covid, preserving green space, and keeping our city attractive to businesses and families. I will continue collaborating with my Council colleagues and use my background as an engineer to make decisions based on logic and data.”
In a statement, said he was humbled and overwhelmed.
“I promise that whether you voted for me or not, I will do my absolute best to represent every Troy resident,” he said in the statement. He also thanked his family and community members, and he said he applauds his opponent for “running a strong, issues-focused campaign.”
“I am immensely humbled to now be the first Indian American and first naturalized citizen ELECTED to the Council of a city that is nearly 30% foreign-born. It is my sincere hope that this election will encourage more of Troy’s immigrant population to get involved in political and civic life.”
Of the 3,553 people who voted in the state House of Representatives District 57 primary race Aug. 6, 63.44% voted for Aisha Farooqi, making her the Democratic winner.
She said in a statement that she is honored to be the nominee.
“In addition, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to my opponents for the dedication they brought to this race.
“I am deeply honored to have earned the trust of my community members within District 57. I pledge to continue working tirelessly on their behalf, as we move forward to the general election.”
Challenger Tyler Fox received 22.54% of the votes, with a total of 801, and challenger Douglas Waggener received 14.02% of the votes, with a total of 498.
On the Republican side, Thomas E. Kuhn received 100% of the votes, with a total of 2,865.