Final vote tallies slow in coming
Absentee ballots to be counted FridayBy ZACH SUBAR, The Leader-Herald
JOHNSTOWN - Election results in close supervisor races in both Fulton and Montgomery counties continue to trickle in, though final results likely won't be available until early next week.
Fulton County Board of Elections official Theresa Dugan said Broadalbin Town Councilman Joe DiGiacomo, who is running as a Conservative, leads Republican George Walters 587-570 in the race for supervisor.
Walters led DiGiacomo last week 311-238, but DiGiacomo gained ground after ballots were counted in two of Broadalbin's four districts since then.
Dugan said the Board of Elections will begin counting absentee ballots at 10:30 a.m. Friday. She said Broadalbin's ballots will be counted first, followed by Northampton's.
There were 85 absentee ballots mailed out in Broadalbin, and 64 have been returned.
"That, I'm sure, will be a long process," Dugan said.
Walters said he is hopeful the additional votes could swing the election his way, but he is guarded in his optimism.
"It's possible, but maybe not probable," Walters said. "Who the heck knows?"
Both Walters and DiGiacomo said they likely will go to the Board of Elections when the absentee ballots are counted Friday.
"I feel good that at least I'm in the lead right now, but we still have 64 absentees right now and anything can happen," DiGiacomo said. "I'm not going to gloat about it yet."
The winner will replace retiring incumbent Supervisor Lee Hollenbeck.
In Northampton, incumbent Supervisor Linda Kemper, who is running on an independent line, continues to lead Northville Mayor James Groff in a race for her position.
Kemper now leads Groff 413-394. Officials said 77 absentee ballots were mailed in Northampton, and 56 have been returned.
Absentee ballots in Gloversville also are expected to be counted Friday. The city's Nov. 3 election results also need to be recanvassed, meaning the information on the paper ballots needs to be checked against the data stored in the electronic voting machines used to scan them.
Montgomery County also has several close races that will be decided in the next few days.
County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Jamie Duchessi said absentee ballots in Palatine and Charleston supervisor races will be counted Thursday.
In Palatine, Republican Brian Sweet leads Democrat Donald Mead Jr. 223-219. So far, 25 of 52 absentee ballots have been returned. Charleston incumbent Supervisor Shayne T. Walters leads challenger Christoph Piening 262-244, and 28 of 32 absentees have been returned there.
Close races for Florida town justice, where Republican Louis P. Carleo III leads Democrat John E. Walsh 356-335, and for Amsterdam 2nd Ward supervisor, where incumbent Conservative Barbara M. Johnson leads Democrat Jeffery P. Stark 275-240, will be decided today, when absentee ballots in those contests are counted. As of this morning, 27 absentees had been returned in Florida and 31 have been returned in Amsterdam's 2nd Ward.
Zach Subar can be reached at ruralnews@leaderherald.com.
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bubbasdad
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11-11-09 7:40 PM
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I like Jim. If he wins my house goes back on the market. He would be a good choice for his friends mainly 21 ballots still out. He will need most of them
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stratford
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11-11-09 8:14 AM
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Hey what about the 23rd? Is the leaderherald-fox just never going to print any stories about the democrate that won??? I see how the republicans in califorina spent money till it all ran out. They just ignored the facts. Maybe fox news told them they had plenty of money.
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fultoncountyfan
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11-10-09 5:39 PM
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I think Joe anad Jim would both be good for there Town and the County
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Discobulous
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11-10-09 3:47 PM
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Five....six.....seven.....nine.....eleven
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cookies108
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11-10-09 2:32 PM
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James Groff still has a great chance to win the election in Northampton. Absentee ballots still have to be counted. Go JIM!!!!
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tinbucktoof
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11-10-09 12:11 PM
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One....Two...Three....Four......
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