Orange County Legislature elects Democratic chair

GOSHEN – As expected, Orange County Legislator Michael Amo broke the 10-10 tie as the new county legislature for 2026 elected Democrat Laurie Tautel as its chair.

The 2026 term of the Orange County Legislature began Tuesday with the swearing in of the lawmakers. The legislature is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, with 10 members from each party.

Michael Amo, who was recently elected as an independent candidate but caucuses with the Democrats, cast the deciding vote to elect Tautel as chair.

This marks a significant shift in Orange County politics, as Democrats now control the leadership of the county legislature for the 2026 term.