 Tonko was the youngest person in county history to be elected to the board of supervisors.In January 1983, Assemblywoman Gail S. Shaffer resigned her 105th District seat to take office as Secretary of State of New York.Tonko was subsequently nominated by the Democratic and Liberal Parties to contest an April 12th special election for the seat against former Schoharie County Clerk Eugene Hallock, the Republican and Conservative nominee.