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Waiting game: Town Council election still undecided

There’s still no indication when the Suffolk County Board of Elections (BOE) will certify the election for a four-year seat on the Town Council between Republican Meg Larsen and Democrat Brett Surerus.

It’s expected to come sometime this week, but no actual date has been given for the results of a final hand count.

The Election Day totals on Nov. 2 of in-person, early balloting and write-ins had been finalized two weeks ago, showing Ms. Larsen defeating Mr. Surerus by just six votes for the four-year term. But a new State law requires a recount of that election.

The law, which went into effect in January, triggers a recount “where the margin of victory is 20 votes or less; or where the margin of victory is 0.5% or less …”

The BOE is now required by the legislation to “conduct a full manual recount of all ballots.”

The election in the 6th Legislative District, which is in the northeast part of Brookhaven Town with about 50,000 registered voters, is in court at the moment, and according to BOE officials, the judge in the case has ordered that a hand count of that district be done before all other recounts.

Still waiting for a hand count, along with Shelter Island, are  certain elections in Southampton and Southold.

Shelter Island Republican Party Chairman Gary Blados said early this morning that he had received an email from BOE Commissioner Jesse Garcia that there would be more information later today on the timing of the Shelter Island count.