LITTLE VALLEY — The Cattaraugus County Board of Elections completed its count of absentee mail-in ballots and affidavits last week showing higher than usual participation.
With a total of 30,018 voters out of a total registration of 49,000, the 71% voter turnout was better than it has been in many years.
The absentees showed President-elect Joe Biden picking up 877 to narrow what was a better than 2-1 advantage for President Donald Trump on Election Night.
Biden had 9,142 votes to 20,295 for Trump after early votes and Election Day votes were counted on Nov. 3. With absentee ballots counted, Biden trailed the president 22,155 to 11,879 in Cattaraugus County. Biden cut the president’s early lead of 11,153 to 10,276 votes after absentee ballots were added.
The addition of the 145,000 absentee ballots in the Eighth Judicial District State Supreme Court race shows Democrat Amy Martoche winning over Republican Gerald Greenan III. On Election Night, Greenan led Martoche 51%-49%.
The final Supreme Court tally in Cattaraugus County showed Greenan leading Martoche 20,248 to 12,576.
In the 23rd Congressional District race won by incumbent Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning, over Democrat Tracy Mitrano of Penn Yan, Reed won Cattaraugus County, 21,443 votes to 10,862 for Mitrano.
State Sen. George Borrello, who was re-elected in the 57th State Senate District, posted a 23,265 to 9,526 win over Democrat Frank Puglisi of Lyndon in this county.
Also, Assemblyman Joseph Giglio, R-Gowanda, who was re-elected in the 148th Assembly District over Democrat Ross Scott of Independence in Allegany County, received 20,940 votes to 8,889 votes for Scott, the absentees show.
The elections board announced last week that Olean Alderman Linda Witte had won re-election over Republican challenger Lawrence Bennion after trailing Election Night vote totals 483-435. Witte’s final vote tally after absentees were counted was 567-539.
Matthew J. Keller of Olean, who unopposed, received a total of 27,737 votes to succeed his father, Joseph G. Keller, in January. Matthew Keller, a former county legislator, is currently deputy treasurer.
County Coroner Bradley Spink of Olean, who was unopposed, received a total of 27,069 votes.
Also, in the town of Leon, the absentees confirmed a write-in candidate’s win for a town justice vacancy.
On Election Night, Republican candidate Jennifer L. Herman, who was unopposed, received 33% of the vote to 166 votes or 67% of the vote.
Once the absentees had been counted, it was disclosed that Holly Abers got 128 write-in votes to 90 for Herman and 35 for Sandra Johnson. There were also 87 blank ballots.
Local Republicans mounted the write-in campaign against Herman after she found out she could not hold the town justice post because of her employment as a state corrections officer. It was too late to replace her on the ballot.
The justice post was vacant after the resignation of Ashley Milliman after she was appointed to the Cattaraugus County attorney post. East Otto Justice Dennis Young has served as interim justice in Leon.
