Absentee Ballot Counts

Due First In Tight Races 

Key Tallies To Be Done Next Wednesday

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERSTOWN – Absentee ballots will be counted first in close races where they might change the outcomes, Elections Commissioners Lori Lehenbauer and Mike Henrici said today.

Usually, absentee ballots are counted in alphabetical order, according to the names of the jurisdictions, they said.

This means that, by the end of the day next Wednesday, the outcomes will be determined in two close county Board of Representatives districts – #3, Otego/Laurens, Republican county Board Chair Kathy Clark vs. Democrat Cathy Nardi (9 votes apart), and #13, Wards 5 & 6, City of Oneonta, Republican county Rep. Len Carson vs. Democrat Danny Lapin (8 votes apart).

The counts begin at 9 a.m.

Other close races to be counted that day involve Burlington (8) and New Lisbon (19) town boards, Hartwick highway superintendent (9), and Cherry Valley town clerk (20).

Next in priority are counting and affirming write-in ballots for Pittsfield and Westford town supervisors, and for town boards in Edmeston, Exeter, Pittsfield and Springfield.