HUDSON — Democrat Jackie Salvatore made history Tuesday night, becoming the first African-American woman ever elected sheriff of Columbia County.

The current undersheriff defeated former state police investigator Republican John Rivero in a closely watched race.

The win showed Salvatore garnered 27 percent of the vote – a milestone in a county where law enforcement leadership has traditionally been held by white men.

Salvatore campaigned on community-based policing, transparency, and strengthening trust between residents and the sheriff’s office.

A career law enforcement professional and longtime county resident, she secured 13,086 votes across the Democratic and Working Families Party lines to Rivero’s 9,446 on the Republican and Conservative lines, according to unofficial results fro

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