Barrett Not Running for Reelection in 2026

For 26 years, Clifton Park has been consistently represented at the county level by one man: Republican Phil Barrett. 

In that time Saratoga County’s population went from 200,635 when he started to 240,360 today, while the GDP went from $5,461,772 in 2001, the earliest year available to $14,870,710 in 2023, the last year available.

Throughout all this growth and subsequent change, Barrett has represented Clifton Park in the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors and served as its chair on four separate occasions. 

In 2027, however, that will change. 

On Jan. 12, Barrett announced that this term will be his last. Barrett made the announcement on his personal blog in a post entitled “Never a Good Time,” in which he talked about his career and some of the challenges he faced. 

“I will not be seeking a 15th term as Town/County Supervisor in 2026,” Barrett said in the post. “I agreed to run in 2025, knowing the new term would be a one-year term as opposed to the historical two-year term. Although I completely disagree with the altering of the election schedule, it was a more enticing time frame based on my personal interests.” 

The former Army officer and Commercial Lender began his tenure in the position in 1999 and was subsequently elected 14 times. In 2010, he passed Henry J. Kinns for longest tenured supervisor in town history. During his tenure in office, he was only primaried once however his opponent, Dale Kelley, dropped out before the primary. 

Barrett is currently serving his fourth term as Chairman of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors — his third consecutive after a previous term in 2007. 

In the blog post Barrett talked about his longevity in office and said he always viewed the position as a job with two-year contracts given to him by the voters. 

“I have always viewed this position as a job,” Barrett said.  “It’s an important job and a public job, but at the end of the day it’s a job. The voters have provided me the opportunity to do the job on a series of 14 two-year contracts. Perform and you may earn another contract. If you don’t perform the short-term contract may expire, permanently.” 

Barrett’s announcement comes at a time when Clifton Park will see many changes. Democrats swept all the elections they contested in 2025 in Clifton Park, leaving Barrett in the minority in the Town Board. Meanwhile, a state law goes into effect shifting elections for most jurisdictions from odd numbered years to even numbered ones — resulting in a shortened one-year term. 

As for what’s next, Barrett didn’t offer specifics but said he would still be around and won’t be leaving the area.