Absentee ballots confirm: Amber-Brach Williams elected supervisor

It’s still technically unofficial, but Councilwoman Amber Brach-Williams is a sure thing to be the next town supervisor, and only the second woman taking the top municipal position in the Island’s history.

Barbara Kaiser won the election for supervisor 44 Novembers ago.

Although the Suffolk County Board of Elections has not updated its website as of Sunday morning, the Island’s Republican Party Chairman Gray Blados told the Reporter he had heard from the BOE that the remaining outstanding absentee ballots had been counted, giving Ms. Brach Williams a lead of 794 to 749 over Democrat Gordon Gooding.

In the race for two Town Board seats, Mr. Blados said his information was that Democrats Albert Dickson and Benjamin Dyett had increased their leads from earlier counts and will take the oath of office in January. Mr. Dyett is also an historic candidate  as the first African American to win a seat on the Town Board.

There are still 18 affidavit ballots to be counted by the BOE, which will not change the election. Affidavit ballots are filled out at the polling place when election workers don’t have a voter’s information, such as those who have moved and have not updated their voting status.

There were 47 write-in votes for supervisor and 188 write-ins for Town Board, which have been counted, but the names written in have not been released yet. According to a statement from the BOE to the Reporter: “The names that were written in will be recorded during re-canvass. The voting system only recognizes that there is a write-in vote. It does not recognize the name that is written. We must record them manually.”

When Ms. Brach-Williams assumes the supervisor’s chair in January, her Town Council seat will be vacant for two years. The Town Board has the option to leave the seat vacant until the next election, or it can nominate and vote on someone to fill out the term.

According to Town Clerk Amber Wilson, the new Town Board will choose the latter.