Amedore-Tkaczyk NY Senate race : Winner To Be Determined

When the machine vote count was complete on election night, Republican George Amedore trailed Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk by 139 votes, leaving the outcome of a race that could decide which party controls the New York State Senate in political limbo.  Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports the final vote tally could take weeks...

Approximately 10-thousand  absentee and affadavit ballots ballots must be counted: Both sides will be in State Supreme Court in Montgomery County on Friday to determine how those votes will be counted.

 Vic Work is the Democratic Elections Commissioner in Ulster County , where 4-thousand of absentee ballots have come in. He points out that all ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 5 to count. The process is all about preserving one's right to vote.

Gerald Benjamin is a Professor of Political Science at SUNY New Paltz: he says people should be able to vote, and included, wherever they are, as long as a way can be found to do that.  In the Amedore-Tkaczyk case, there is an extra factor to consider - involving the Presidential election - Vic Work explains his people have been directed by the State Board of Elections to certify the Presidential count for Ulster County by December 1st.

Work says the court will make the final decision on what course to follow. Both the Amedore and Tkaczyk campaigns will be able to set aside any ballot they find objectionable.  Vic Work adds that any delay in ballot-counting could possibly extend the process into the New Year, leaving citizens in the 46th without a sitting representative until the winner is finally determined.

Following Tuesday’s other election results, Democrats held a 31-30 lead in the state senate, which requires 32 votes to pass measures.