Brendan Lawler
Democratic · NY · Dutchess County Legislator, District 4
Brendan Lawler is a Dutchess County legislator for parts of Hyde Park and the Town of Poughkeepsie who chairs its budget committee, and a longtime social studies teacher at Arlington High School. His priorities are a county-coordinated ambulance system and more housing.
Where Brendan Lawler stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (1 record), Public Safety and Crime Control (2 records), Public Infrastructure (2 records)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (1 support · 3 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 support
Voted for a county law limiting hazardous pollution sources near public water supplies, aquifers and wetlands (Local Law No. 2 of 2024). It passed 23-0.
September 9, 2024Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: dutchessny.gov
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 support · 3 oppose
Voted to override the County Executive's veto of three District Attorney's office positions in the 2026 budget. The override passed 24-1.
December 17, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: dutchessny.gov
Seconded and voted for a Democratic budget amendment to add $750,000 from county reserves to the county's emergency response program. It failed 9-15.
December 8, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: dutchessny.gov
Voted against the county's 2026 budget, which passed 15-9.
December 8, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: dutchessny.gov
Sponsored a resolution proposing $5 million in federal pandemic relief money to expand the county's Municipal Innovation Grant program for town water, sewer and park projects.
July 12, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: dutchessny.gov
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 2 support
Voted to override the County Executive's veto of three District Attorney's office positions in the 2026 budget. The override passed 24-1.
December 17, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: dutchessny.gov
Seconded and voted for a Democratic budget amendment to add $750,000 from county reserves to the county's emergency response program. It failed 9-15.
December 8, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: dutchessny.gov
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 2 support
Sponsored a resolution proposing $5 million in federal pandemic relief money to expand the county's Municipal Innovation Grant program for town water, sewer and park projects.
July 12, 2021Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: dutchessny.gov
Proposed changing the county's federal pandemic relief plan to move money from Dutchess Stadium upgrades to rural broadband, road-salt reduction to protect water, and grants for town water and sewer projects. His change failed 10-15, and he then voted against the plan, which passed 15-10.
June 14, 2021Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: dutchessny.gov
Track record — General
General · 10 records
As budget committee chair, joined the committee's Democrats in postponing a vote on the city-county settlement that allows a homeless shelter at 26 Oakley Street in Poughkeepsie until September.
July 23, 2026
Source: midhudsonnews.com
Spoke and voted for creating a standing Legislature committee on artificial intelligence and technology oversight. It passed 16-8.
May 11, 2026
Source: dutchessny.gov
Co-sponsored, spoke for and voted for a resolution urging the state to pass the MELT Act, a bill requiring law officers, including federal immigration agents, to wear visible identification. It passed 13-9.
April 13, 2026
Source: dutchessny.gov
Spoke and voted for a resolution opposing a proposed federal immigration detention center in Chester, Orange County. It passed 20-0.
March 9, 2026
Source: dutchessny.gov
Spoke and voted for new Legislature rules that dropped a two-thirds vote requirement tied to budget matters. The rules passed 15-10.
February 9, 2026
Source: dutchessny.gov
Named chair of the Dutchess County Legislature's Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee for 2026.
January 8, 2026
Source: dutchessny.gov
Voted to table, and then against, accepting a state homeless housing grant of about $13 million to design a transitional housing center at 26 Oakley Street in Poughkeepsie. The grant passed 14-10.
August 12, 2024
Source: dutchessny.gov
Voted against a resolution that set aside $100,000 for a county lawsuit against the state law moving county elections to even-numbered years. It passed 14-7.
April 8, 2024
Source: dutchessny.gov
Voted against a county charter change cutting the Legislature from 25 to 21 members. It passed 15-10, but voters rejected it in a referendum on November 2, 2021.
July 12, 2021
Source: dutchessny.gov
Was appointed by the Hyde Park Town Board to fill a vacant Dutchess County Legislature seat for the rest of 2021.
January 4, 2021
Source: midhudsonnews.com
Past race Brendan Lawler ran in:
- Dutchess County Legislator, District 4 · November 3, 2026 · Dutchess County, New York · incumbent