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Not So Fast!

The Post-Standard (Syracuse) is reporting that the hotly contested election in New York’s 23rd congressional district may not be over yet.

…a recanvassing in the 11-county district shows that Owens’ lead has narrowed to 3,026 votes over Hoffman, 66,698 to 63,672, according to the latest unofficial results from the state Board of Elections.

In Oswego County, where Hoffman was reported to lead by only 500 votes with 93 percent of the vote counted election night, inspectors found Hoffman actually won by 1,748 votes — 12,748 to 11,000.

The new vote totals mean the race will be decided by absentee ballots, of which about 10,200 were distributed, said John Conklin [communications director for the Board.]

Now, the chances of Hoffman winning on the backs of absentee ballots is vanishingly small, given that the nominal Republican was still in the race when they were presumably cast.

But this raises an interesting question.  If he were to end up winning the election, what would happen to any votes that Democrat Bill Owens had already cast?

2 comments to Not So Fast!

  • Raoul Ortega

    Are you kidding? He’s been seated. The Dems aren’t going to remove anyone for any reason short of committing mass murder. (A little manslaugher never put a crimp in the SeaLion of Chappaquiddick’s career, right?)

    What this does show is that the GOP has to stop with this civility stuff. When a Dem’s behind, they not only don’t concede, but they stick around long enough for the necessary votes to magically appear. (See Upper Left Washington gov’s race in ’004.)

  • Nope. Not kidding. Like I said, I doubt it will happen, but this is from the story linked above, bolding added:

    Under a new law in New York that extended deadlines, military and overseas ballots received by this coming Monday (and postmarked by Nov. 2) will be counted. Standard absentee ballots had to be returned this past Monday.

    Conklin said the state sent a letter to the House Clerk last week explaining that no winner had been determined in the 23rd District, and therefore the state had not certified the election. But the letter noted that Owens still led by about 3,000 votes, and that the special election was not contested — two factors that legally allowed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to swear in Owens on Friday.

    “We sent a letter to the clerk laying out the totals,” Conklin said. “The key is that Hoffman conceded, which means the race is not contested. However, all ballots will be counted, and if the result changes, Owens will have to be removed.

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