Countdown to final Shelter Island election tally: On Monday, 45 votes remain uncounted

212 — 83 — 38 — 57 — 45.

The numbers above have been released, and then amended, by the Suffolk County Board of Elections of outstanding absentee ballots to be counted, since the polls closed last Tuesday, Nov. 7, in the election for Shelter Island supervisor and Town Board.

On Monday morning, Republican Board of Elections Commissioner Betty Manzella told the Reporter that the new total of absentee ballots to be counted is 57. But later in the day, 45 was the number given for outstanding civilian and military personnel absentee ballots.

With the counting of those ballots, it’s unlikely that the preliminary election results, released when the polls closed Nov. 7, will change.

In an extremely close race for supervisor, counted ballots on Election Night showed a difference of 44 votes between Councilwoman Amber Brach-Williams (R,C) and Gordon Gooding (D). The Election Day tally showed Ms. Brach Williams with 773 votes to Mr. Gooding’s 729. There were 47 write-in votes for supervisor counted.

One race for a Town Board seat was also close. According to the Board of Elections totals, only 43 votes separate Benjamin Dyett (D), who received 740 votes when polls closed, and Tom Cronin (R) who received 697 votes. There were 188 write-in votes counted.

Town Board candidate Albert Dickson (D) was the top vote-getter of all candidates with 805 votes, and will take the oath of office in January. The candidacy of Art Williams (R), which received 473 votes, won’t be affected, no matter how many absentee ballots are counted in his favor.

Asking for comment, Commissioner Manzella wrote to the Reporter on Monday, explaining the Board of Elections process has been misunderstood “since the new absentee ballot law went into effect in 2022. Our absentee statistic sheet shows the total of absentee ballots that will be counted at the BOE, but most people do not realize that the majority have been ‘counted’ as part the tally prior to election night. 

“The number of outstanding ballots has also changed since my last email. It was 38 and is now 57 [and since amended to 45 ]. Again, most people do not understand the process and that it is a fluid situation. In the days after the election, we retrieve the machines and open all of the secured ballot bags that come back from the poll sites.  Aside from affidavit ballots that need to be counted, people drop off outstanding absentee ballots to the poll sites on Election Day and those ballots are sorted, confirmed and counted during the re-canvass of the election — which is the process we are in the middle of now.”

Later Monday, Senior Assistant Commissioner Phil Giambruno confirmed to the Reporter that the uncounted absentee ballots is indeed 45. Mr. Giambruno said, “We’re in process of prepping,” which is a three step process of getting ballots ready to be tallied. “As of now we should be counting those ballots on Wednesday Nov. 15. Also, military ballots must arrive here by November 20. If any arrive, they will then go through all three phases of preparation.”

And so … stay tuned.