Challenger appears District 6 winner

LOWVILLE — A longtime Watson caterer may have broken up a potential sweep by Lewis County legislative incumbents.

In District 6, Democratic challenger Paul M. Stanford holds an unofficial 326-321 lead over fourth-year Legislator Joyce E. Hoch, R-Watson, after absentee and affidavit votes were counted Thursday afternoon.

The county Board of Elections office initially reported that Mrs. Hoch, a longtime secretary at Lowville Academy and Central School, held a 308-305 lead on the night of the Nov. 3 general election. However, after recanvassing the machines last week, it was determined the race actually was tied at 305 votes before the absentee count.

Mr. Stanford, also a town of Watson resident, held a 21-16 advantage in absentee and affidavit ballots counted on Thursday, providing the five-vote cushion.

Forty-two absentee and affidavit ballots were counted, but five were either blank or voided because the voter selected both legislative candidates.

Military ballots still may be accepted through Tuesday, provided they are postmarked Nov. 3 or earlier, according to county election officials. Twenty potential military votes remain, since 22 such absentee ballots were issued and only two had been returned as of Thursday.

This race, and any others in which the vote differential is less than 1 percent of the total votes, will be subject to an automatic recount in the next week or two, election officials said.

District 6 encompasses the town of Watson, the southeastern portion of the town of Lowville and the southern part of the village.

While Mrs. Hoch unofficially won Watson, 254-217, Mr. Stanford took the Lowville vote 109-67.

Mr. Stanford, who last fall opened a small used-car dealership in New Bremen to go along with his catering business, two years ago finished second in a three-way race for the seat behind Mrs. Hoch by a 432-306 spread.

In District 1, Legislator Philip C. Hathway, R-Harrisville, running solely on the Independence Party line, apparently has defeated Republican challenger Gary L. Williams. Mr. Hathway, who was appointed to his seat in March, leads by a 357-312 vote, and not enough absentee ballots have come in to reverse that result.

Legislators Richard C. Lucas, R-Barnes Corners; John O. Boyd, D-New Bremen, and Jerry H. King, R-West Leyden, all easily retained their seats, while the other five county lawmakers ran unopposed.

County elections officials on Thursday also counted absentee and affidavit ballots in four close town races, but those votes did not alter any unofficial results.

In Lyonsdale, independent challenger Samuel A. Marmon continues to lead Republican Supervisor Roscoe J. Fawcett Jr., 176-168. Mr. Marmon held a 10-vote lead after the machine ballot count, but Mr. Fawcett held a 5-3 advantage in absentees.

In Lowville, Republican councilmen Paul R. Virkler and Ruth I. Laribee apparently have been re-elected with 784 and 599 votes, respectively, followed by Democratic challenger Edward M. Murphy, with 511 votes. Mr. Murphy, who trailed Mrs. Laribee by 62 votes after the machine ballot count, received the fewest absentee votes of the trio.

In Osceola, Democratic Councilman Francis N. Yerdon and Republican Councilman Keith Munz appear to have earned two open council seats with 72 and 63 votes, respectively, followed by Independence Party candidate Amy E. Kornberger with 60 and Republican Amanda L. Sterling with 50. Mr. Munz led Mrs. Kornberger by one vote after the machine ballot count but outpolled her 5-3 in absentees.

County election officials plan to begin counting all absentee and affidavit ballots today.