ORANGETOWN SUPERVISOR RACE DECIDED AFTER ABSENTEE BALLOT CHALLENGE; CHRIS DAY WINS BY 165 VOTES

BY CAROL MCILMURRAY

Legal challenges of absentee ballots in the Thom Kleiner (D) vs. Chris Day (R) race for town supervisor of Orangetown have been dropped by both sides, and after all absentee ballots have been counted Day upheld his Orangetown Supervisor win by 165 votes, according to sources familiar with the count.

Kleiner had initially conceded the race on the night of the election after a machine count determined Day had a 190-vote lead.  He told supporters that the over 600 absentee ballots left to be counted were unlikely to change the outcome.

One week later on Tuesday, November 14 Kleiner contested 57 Republican and Conservative absentee ballots due to signature discrepancies. Day responded by contesting 435 Democratic and Independent ballots.

On Friday morning, both Kleiner and Day dropped their contest on the remaining ballots. After all 682 absent ballots were counted; Day retained his lead for Orangetown Supervisor by 165 votes.