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More contesting, than counting ballots
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| Election commissioners, ballot counters and attorneys tally accepted absentee ballots from Austerlitz District 2 as the absentee ballot count continued Thursday. (Robert Ragaini/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers) |
By Francesca Olsen
With a morning haze over Hudson, election inspectors filed into the Supervisors’ Chambers at 401 State St. at 9 a.m. Thursday morning for another day of counting and contesting ballots. The actual count started at about 10 a.m. on Ancram’s second district, with 57 absentees and one ballot marking device (BMD) ballot to count.
Republican Attorney John Walsh entered the chambers late at 9:45, and the count began shortly after. “We need to just get as many ballots counted as possible,” said Democratic election commissioner Virginia Martin.
Some discussion arose about bringing Austerlitz’s absentee ballots to the “fast table” of uncontested races to be counted, so that the table of lawyers could commence with Claverack’s absentees. In the end, Austerlitz ended up on the contested table.
“We are flying by last night’s standards,” Walsh told the table counting Ancram district 2, when at 10:15 a.m. 15 absentees were contested and four were approved.
Neither commissioner was totally sure how contested ballots will be approached; Republican election commissioner Donald R. Kline said he thought they’d be held aside until all the counting was done, then scheduled to be seen by a judge in county court a few days afterward.
A continuation of Tuesday’s court date, scheduled for Thursday at 11 a.m. with Judge Jonathan Nichols, was adjourned on the consent of both attorneys and both election commissioners. A short break was taken directly before 11 a.m. to review the paperwork with county attorney Dan Fitzsimmons and provide the appropriate signatures.
Kathleen O’Keefe, lawyer for the Democratic side, announced she was not officially representing the Democrats in court and gave Fitzsimmons contact information for attorney Dan Burstein so he could give consent.
In the morning, the mood was lighter, with both sides cracking jokes and sharing anecdotes. A majority of Ancram’s second district absentee ballots were contested, with Republicans doing most of the contesting.
“We’re maintaining about a 20 percent average,” Martin told the Register-Star at about 10:45 a.m. “Twenty percent of the voters can vote. It seems to be that way.”
Out of 57 ballots, 12 absentees and one BMD vote were counted from Ancram’s second district. “We’re proceeding quickly,” county Democratic party chair Chris Nolan observed at 11:25 a.m.
Thirteen out of 57 represents 23 percent of the total. The unofficial totals for Ancram’s second district were: Councilwoman Donna Hoyt, five votes; candidate Madeline Israel, seven votes; Supervisor Tom Dias, five votes; candidate Art Bassin, seven votes.
Of the ballots that were contested, 40 were done so by the Republicans and two were contested by Democrats; three were stipulated out.
Austerlitz’s first district had 43 absentees and one affidavit. Seventeen ballots were opened, with 24 objections, 18 from Republicans and six from Democrats. Three were stipulated out. The results of the 17 ballots counted showed ten votes for incumbent supervisor George Jahn and seven for candidate Jeff Braley.
After Austerlitz’s first district was counted, both commissioners and both lawyers agreed to start counting Claverack on Friday, and count the absentees for Stuyvesant on Thursday. Incumbent Supervisor Jim Keegan and Claverack Republican Chair Charles Schram had been waiting for their count since early Wednesday morning.
“Bumped again!” said Schram. “We were on the docket for Tuesday, originally.”
“They keep changing the schedule,” said Keegan. “To suit I don’t know who, but apparently not me. Where’s Virginia (Martin) from? Claverack!”
Austerlitz’s second district count was initiated at around 2:30 p.m., with 51 absentees and one affidavit. Of those, 23 were counted, including the affidavit, and 29 were contested. Democrats contested four of the absentee ballots and Republicans contested 25.
The 23 ballots counted showed 16 votes for Jahn and six for Braley.
At 4:45 p.m. absentees were counted for Stuyvesant district one. Out of fourteen ballots and two affidavits, four were contested, three by Republicans and one by Democrats. Six votes were cast for incumbent Republican Supervisor Valerie Bertram, and five were cast for Democratic contender Lee Jamison.
Stuyvesant district two had 36 ballots, including affidavits and BMD votes. Of those, 15 were uncontested and 21 were contested; Democrats objected to two absentee ballots and Republicans objected to 14. Of nine affidavits, three were counted. Results from ballots counted in the second district showed 11 votes for Bertram and four for Jamison, putting Bertram in the lead by 36 votes.
All results are unofficial pending a count of contested ballots; no information about when contested ballots could be counted was available before press time. The count begins again at 9 a.m. this morning with Claverack’s absentee ballots.
To reach reporter Francesca Olsen, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail folsen@registerstar.com.
Republican Attorney John Walsh entered the chambers late at 9:45, and the count began shortly after. “We need to just get as many ballots counted as possible,” said Democratic election commissioner Virginia Martin.
Some discussion arose about bringing Austerlitz’s absentee ballots to the “fast table” of uncontested races to be counted, so that the table of lawyers could commence with Claverack’s absentees. In the end, Austerlitz ended up on the contested table.
“We are flying by last night’s standards,” Walsh told the table counting Ancram district 2, when at 10:15 a.m. 15 absentees were contested and four were approved.
Neither commissioner was totally sure how contested ballots will be approached; Republican election commissioner Donald R. Kline said he thought they’d be held aside until all the counting was done, then scheduled to be seen by a judge in county court a few days afterward.
A continuation of Tuesday’s court date, scheduled for Thursday at 11 a.m. with Judge Jonathan Nichols, was adjourned on the consent of both attorneys and both election commissioners. A short break was taken directly before 11 a.m. to review the paperwork with county attorney Dan Fitzsimmons and provide the appropriate signatures.
Kathleen O’Keefe, lawyer for the Democratic side, announced she was not officially representing the Democrats in court and gave Fitzsimmons contact information for attorney Dan Burstein so he could give consent.
In the morning, the mood was lighter, with both sides cracking jokes and sharing anecdotes. A majority of Ancram’s second district absentee ballots were contested, with Republicans doing most of the contesting.
“We’re maintaining about a 20 percent average,” Martin told the Register-Star at about 10:45 a.m. “Twenty percent of the voters can vote. It seems to be that way.”
Out of 57 ballots, 12 absentees and one BMD vote were counted from Ancram’s second district. “We’re proceeding quickly,” county Democratic party chair Chris Nolan observed at 11:25 a.m.
Thirteen out of 57 represents 23 percent of the total. The unofficial totals for Ancram’s second district were: Councilwoman Donna Hoyt, five votes; candidate Madeline Israel, seven votes; Supervisor Tom Dias, five votes; candidate Art Bassin, seven votes.
Of the ballots that were contested, 40 were done so by the Republicans and two were contested by Democrats; three were stipulated out.
Austerlitz’s first district had 43 absentees and one affidavit. Seventeen ballots were opened, with 24 objections, 18 from Republicans and six from Democrats. Three were stipulated out. The results of the 17 ballots counted showed ten votes for incumbent supervisor George Jahn and seven for candidate Jeff Braley.
After Austerlitz’s first district was counted, both commissioners and both lawyers agreed to start counting Claverack on Friday, and count the absentees for Stuyvesant on Thursday. Incumbent Supervisor Jim Keegan and Claverack Republican Chair Charles Schram had been waiting for their count since early Wednesday morning.
“Bumped again!” said Schram. “We were on the docket for Tuesday, originally.”
“They keep changing the schedule,” said Keegan. “To suit I don’t know who, but apparently not me. Where’s Virginia (Martin) from? Claverack!”
Austerlitz’s second district count was initiated at around 2:30 p.m., with 51 absentees and one affidavit. Of those, 23 were counted, including the affidavit, and 29 were contested. Democrats contested four of the absentee ballots and Republicans contested 25.
The 23 ballots counted showed 16 votes for Jahn and six for Braley.
At 4:45 p.m. absentees were counted for Stuyvesant district one. Out of fourteen ballots and two affidavits, four were contested, three by Republicans and one by Democrats. Six votes were cast for incumbent Republican Supervisor Valerie Bertram, and five were cast for Democratic contender Lee Jamison.
Stuyvesant district two had 36 ballots, including affidavits and BMD votes. Of those, 15 were uncontested and 21 were contested; Democrats objected to two absentee ballots and Republicans objected to 14. Of nine affidavits, three were counted. Results from ballots counted in the second district showed 11 votes for Bertram and four for Jamison, putting Bertram in the lead by 36 votes.
All results are unofficial pending a count of contested ballots; no information about when contested ballots could be counted was available before press time. The count begins again at 9 a.m. this morning with Claverack’s absentee ballots.
To reach reporter Francesca Olsen, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail folsen@registerstar.com.
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stonepound wrote on Nov 20, 2009 7:28 AM: