Safka, Prefountaine leading

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By Dan King

It’s not yet time to declare a winner in the Whitehall Town election.

When the results from Tuesday’s election were tallied up, the incumbents, all of whom were Republicans, found themselves in the lead, but there are still 28 absentee ballots out.

Incumbent Republican board members Farrell Prefountaine and Stephanie Safka lead democratic challenger Phil Smith, but by a small margin.

Smith, a first time candidate, is the only Democrat running and he had received 168 votes as of Wednesday morning.

Safka and Prefountaine received 190 and 188 votes, respectively. There were two write-in votes for the two town board seats.

The three candidates are battling for two four-year terms.

Leslie Allen, Republican Commissioner of the Board of Elections said that 28 absentee ballots were sent out and that by Wednesday morning 14 had come back. There is still a chance, however, that more may come in.

“They need to be post-marked by Tuesday (Nov. 3),” she said. “We won’t open the absentees until next Tuesday and unfortunately we go alphabetically, so we may not get to Whitehall until Thursday.”

At least 20 absentee ballots would need to come in to make any difference in the election, as Smith trails Prefountaine by 20.

Unchallenged in Tuesday’s election were Supervisor George Armstrong, highway Superintendent Louie Pratt and town Clerk Julie Millett.

Armstrong received 257 votes and there were five write-ins for supervisor.

Millett received 270 votes, the most out of any candidate for any position. There were no write-ins for clerk.

Pratt got 262 votes and there was one write-in for highway superintendent.

Smith is hoping to become the only Democrat on the town board. Currently the all-Republican board consists of Prefountaine, Safka, Armstrong, John Rozell and Dave Hollister. Rozell and Hollister were not up for re-election this cycle.

The next town board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. in the Whitehall Municipal Building. Election results should be finalized by that time.