NY Resumes Counting of Potentially Decisive Absentee Ballots

Wednesday, July 1, 2020 10:19 am | < 1 Minute Read

Stickers reading “I Voted” rest on a voting machine set up inside a polling station for New York’s primary election at Yonkers Middle/High School, June 23, in Yonkers, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Many counties across New York on Wednesday will begin counting the absentee ballots that will determine who won the state’s June 23 primary elections.

In-person voting in the party primaries wrapped up a week ago Tuesday, but because of the coronavirus the state allowed all voters to cast their ballots by mail.

After waiting a week for the last of those ballots to arrive, elections officials across the state are now digging in. A few, including Albany County, began counting Tuesday. Some don’t plan to begin tallying votes until the start of next week.

That could mean that results won’t be available in some marquee races anytime soon.

Among the most-watched contests is the Democratic primary between U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel and challenger Jamaal Bowman in a district that includes the Bronx and part of Westchester County. Another close Democratic primary fight is in New York City between U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney and challenger Suraj Patel.

Voters also selected their candidates in primaries to succeed U.S. Reps Nita Lowey and Jose Serrano, both Democrats, and Republican U.S. Rep. Peter King in Congress. All three are retiring.

Many state legislative primaries remain undecided as well.

To Read The Full Story