By David Tyler
TOWN OF MANLIUS – Based on the partisan breakdown of the uncounted absentee votes in the town of Manlius, it may be difficult for town supervisor candidate Rich Rossetti and town council candidate Rebecca Shiroff, both Republicans, to make up much ground. And it may be a challenge for Republican James Hughes to hold off Democrat David Rothschild for the Manlius town justice position.
After the in-person results were tallied on Tuesday night Rossetti trailed Democrat John Deer by just 72 votes. The council race is even closer, with Shiroff trailing Democrat William Nicholson by just 32 votes. Hughes holds a razor thin 19-vote margin over Rothschild.
But the breakdown of the absentee ballots may give the GOP candidates additional cause for concern and the Democrats reason for confidence.
As of Nov. 4, the Onondaga County Board of Elections had received 669 absentee ballots from Manlius residents. Of those, 322 had come from Democrats and 185 came from Republicans or Conservatives. The majority of the rest came from voters who are not enrolled in a political party.
Additional votes may come in as well. Ballots that were postmarked by election day are valid in New York.
In order to come out on top, Rossetti would need 73 more votes than Deer from a pool of voters that includes at least 137 more Democrats than Republicans. The hill is not as steep for Shiroff and Hughes, but the registration numbers are not in their favor.
This story was update on Nov. 4, 2021 at 4:14 p.m.
