Election Day set records across the country for high voter turnout on Tuesday, and Onondaga County was no exception.
Onondaga County Democratic Board of Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny explains why this midterm was unlike any other.
"We'll probably get around 63 to 65 percent, and that's much higher than previous midterms. In 2014, we got 50 or 49 percent and in 2010 we got 52 percent. So this is a pretty significant jump. It's close to presidential level turnout."
With nearly 180 polling places across Onondaga County, Czarny says there were no significant lines or complications for voters on Election Day. The Board of Elections is now focused on counting absentee and affidavit ballots.
"We have about 10,000 absentees and about 500 affidavit ballots. Those are being reviewed right now and once the 19th comes around we will have observers from both campaigns and parties allowed to come in and watch us open the absentee ballots and count them then."
At least two local races will be decided by absentee ballots. A Spafford Town Council seat and New York’s 50th Senate District were both deemed too close to call on Tuesday night. Republican Bob Antonacci has a narrow lead, and all but declared victory Tuesday over Democrat John Mannion. Czarny says the increase of absentee ballots this year might leave the candidates waiting longer than usual for results.
"I mean, we're looking at double the amount of absentee votes that we got from last year. So anytime you have that kind of volume, it definitely will extend the time."
Czarny says the delayed results could be released as early as Thanksgiving.