No Change as Votes Counted in Executive Race
November 5, 2009, 5:34 pm
Over 1,000 previously uncounted votes were processed Thursday in the race for Erie County Executive. At the end of the day, there was little difference in the vote margin between Democrat Barry Grossman and Republican Mike Kerner.
Grossman leads Kerner by 339 votes. Even though 1.075 Votes were counted Thursday, Kerner picked up only two votes. 884 absentee ballots are left to be counted. Kerner needs to take over 600 of those votes to win.
Early in the afternoon, Kerner gained 66 votes after ballots from seven voting machines were finally counted. Those votes were not counted Tuesday night because the machines were not shut down properly. Those seven machines contained 709 votes. Five of the machines were from Millcreek precincts, one from Fairview, and one from Concord Township.
Grossman's lead was pared down from 341 to 275.
Then the election staff began processing the 1250 absentee ballots. By late Thursday afternoon, the 366 absentee ballots from the City of Erie were made official. Grossman's lead was back to 339.
The 884 absentee ballots that remain will be counted Friday.
John Last
