Ghosio, Orlando Retain Leads After Absentee Ballot Count: BOE

SOUTHOLD, NY – The absentee votes have been tallied and in Southold Town, two GOP incumbents who were named victorious on Election Night will retain their seats, according to the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

According to Suffolk County Board of Elections Commissioner Anita Katz, once the absentee ballots were tallied, incumbent GOP Southold Highway Superintendent Vincent Orlando received a total of 3,885 votes to challenger and Democrat's Gene Wesnofske's 3,629.

In the race for a town board seat, GOP candidate and incumbent James Dinizio remained the highest vote getter with 4,076, followed by Republican and incumbent Bob Ghosio with 3,782. Dem challenger Mary Eisenstein received 3,720 votes and Debbie O'Kane, 2,974.

Katz pointed out that every vote counts and the BOE tallies every single ballot cast until the final results are determined.

Of those 614 absentee ballots, 243 were Dems, 203, Republican, 9 are from the Conservative Party, 1 from the Green Party of Suffolk County, 2 from the Working Families Party, 22 from the Independence Party, 1 "other," and 133 blanks, according to the BOE.

The BOE is continuing to count absentee ballots in the race for Suffolk County Sheriff; at last reported tally, Errol Toulon Jr. is ahead by 1,538 votes.

The final tallies in the race for Suffolk County Sheriff are expected by early next week and most likely by Tuesday, the BOE said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had a typo. The difference beween Ghosio and Eisenstein is 62 votes.

Patch courtesy photos.