While vote counting is still hours away, the Suffolk Board of Elections has already received 802 absentee ballots in the special election to fill the vacancy of former GOP Legis. Edward Romaine in the first district.
Today’s contest pits Republican Sean Walter, the Riverhead supervisor, against Democrat Alfred Krupski, a Southold town board member, to succeed Republican Romaine, who was elected Brookhaven supervisor in November.
Although election officials cannot say for whom absentees cast ballots, 323 were from Democrats, 291 were from Republicans and 157 who are not aligned with any party. There were also 14 Conservative and 17 Independence Party members, who cast absentee ballots, Walter has the Conservative and Independence Party lines.
Originally, about 1,300 applied for absentee ballots, and some additional ballots could come in as long as they were postmarked by Monday. Surrogates can also deliver absentee ballots for others until 9 p.m. at the board in Yaphank or at any first district polling place.
As of 11 a.m. elections officials say that turnout at the polls so far has been 2,398 voters in 62 of the 65 election districts that reported in to election officials.
So far, Southold, Krupski’s hometown, has cast 1,082 votes; Riverhead, Walter’s hometown, has cast 852, 99 Shelter Island residents have cast ballots, as have 365 Brookhaven residents.