This was a razor thin race and Padavan seems not to want all the legal votes counted:
There are less than 600 votes separating the two candidates, with almost 2,000 paper ballots yet to be counted.
WHEN: FRIDAY, Jan. 16 @ 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: New York State Supreme Court
88-11 Sutphin Blvd., 4th Floor, Room 48
Jamaica, QUEENS
WHAT: The State Supreme Court in Jamaica, Queens will hold a hearing to determine why the Board of Elections did not follow established rules in the ballot counting of the still-undecided race between then-incumbent Republican State Senator Frank Padavan and Democratic challenger James Gennaro.
WHO: Nine Board of Elections officials with "actual knowledge of the facts," including Republican Commissioner Judith Stupps and Democratic Commissioner Jose Miguel Araujo
CONTACT: Mike Barfield (917) 284-3106
Barfield made additional comments about the court hearing:
Statement From Gennaro Campaign Spokesman Mike Barfield
"We're gratified that the court today ruled in our favor by scheduling a hearing on Friday to determine why the Board of Elections did not follow its established rules for determining the validity of ballots. With Board personnel compelled to testify, the court will make a fair and final determination.
"We are confident that the testimony of the Board of Election workers will expose Frank Padavan and the Republicans' attempts to disenfranchise Democrats, women, students and minorities who cast perfectly valid ballots. After two months of Frank Padavan's legal maneuvers, we fully expect the final 2,000 ballots to be reviewed and a winner declared in this election."
I have no idea if these votes will be counted and if so are there enough to overcome the deficit but Jim Gennaro really made in imprint on this election and not unlike Andrea Stewart Cousin after the 2004 recount, there is an air of inevitability to him becoming Senator Gennero sooner or later. This gives me a little hope that it may be sooner! |
