CARMEL – Democrats have gained ground in three hotly contested races in Putnam County with the counting of absentee ballots.
The Board of Elections reported at the close of business Thursday that Brett Yarris, one of three candidates for county executive, who was trailing Kevin Byrne on Election Night by 595 votes, has reduced that deficit to 463 votes.
Yarris has refused to concede to the incumbent saying, “Every voter has the right to have their vote counted, and every one of these ballots has to be counted the same way as the votes counted on Election Night. We owe it to every voter to wait for a full and accurate count. When we know more, a final determination will be made in this race, and we expect the margin could close enough to trigger a recount.”
Hundreds of absentee ballots remain uncounted.
Elections Commissioner Cathy Croft said, “Staff will be opening and scanning mail ballots daily; affidavits need to be crossed checked with state board of elections voter lists this weekend and affidavits that are to be counted will take place next week.”
Democrats also picked up substantial votes with absentee ballots in two contests in Kent.
Kathy Khang on Election Night was leading her GOP challenger Republican Joseph Cunningham by 13 votes. As of Thursday, the number has risen to 32 ballots. The two are battling for a Putnam Legislature seat being vacated by Toni Addonizio.
Kent Supervisor Jaime McGlasson, who was leading her Democratic challenger Alex Sewell by 95 votes on Election night, has seen that number reduced to 46.
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