Day Wins Rockland County Executive Race

"I saw people look at me and talk to me and you could see a connection, something they believed had to happen," Day said. "I want to thank you for that gift. I don’t think any of you really understand what it’s like to have people believe so strongly in you. It is something I will cherish forever. It is something I will never betray. It is something I will take to my grave with a smile."

Day won with an unofficial total 36,542 votes, 51.9 percent to Fried's 32,311 (45.9 percent). Full unofficial results are available on the Rockland County website here.

Day waited until after speaking with Fried to address the crowd.

"While I would have liked to be speaking with you under different circumstances, I stand before you with my head held high," Fried said. "Tonight is also our victory. It was a victory for our ideas. It’s because of your hard work that people are talking about a Rockland County water district. It’s because of all the doors we knocked on that voters overwhelmingly support changes to our government. It’s because you cared enough to volunteer your time that we’re talking about pay cuts for politicians and not pay raises. No candidate can run for office without a dedicated group of thoughtful committed citizens. Without a doubt in mind about it my campaign team is the best in Rockland.”

Day said he and Fried agreed that it was important that the voters look past the negativity around the campaign to focus on the issues. 

"I want to thank my opponent for a lot of good discourse and we maintained civility," Day said. "He did concede very graciously."

Day pointed to the importance of the Preserve Rockland line on the ballot, where he received 8,386 of his votes.

"We created an independent line for Preserve Rockland," Day said. "That line garnered around 10,000 votes tonight. That’s more than all the third-party lines together. This line, created by civic groups, most notably Clarkstown Preservation Society, Preserve Ramapo and a litany of civic associations across this great county, with one goal in mind, to return government to the people without any strings attached."

Day, currently a member of the Rockland County Legislature, said the work of improving things in the county cannot wait until he takes office as County Executive Jan. 1, 2014. 

"We are in crisis," Day said. "Starting Jan. 1, we will enact measures to ensure we right the ship in this county, so our children and grandchildren can stay here. That said, we don’t start Jan. 1. We start today. Today we go to work. Today we look at each other and think this si something we will take care of together."