Winning the write-in way

Normally, I wouldn't pay much attention to a primary for the Independence Party nomination for County Legislator in Poughkeepsie, New York, but in this particular case one of the principals in the story is my uncle. And even better, he made a little history in that race.

Dan Kuffner appears to have scored an upset in the Independence Party primary against Dutchess County Majority Leader Noreen Reilly, R-Hyde Park.

Kuffner, a Democrat, is challenging the Republican incumbent to represent District 7 in the county Legislature.

Kuffner, whose name was not on the ballot, was reported as receiving 17 write-in votes Tuesday by the county board of election in unofficial results. Reilly, whose name was on the ballot, received 11 lever pulls.

In tallying the votes Tuesday night the Journal erroneously reported Reilly the winner by a 20-17 vote. Reilly was reported as having received nine write-in votes.

But county election commissioners said Wednesday state election law does not permit the counting of write-in votes for candidates whose names are on the ballot.

It appears Kuffner accomplished what is very difficult: winning a primary as a write-in candidate against an opponent whose name was on the ballot.

"On the face of it, if looks like Dan Kuffner pulled off a stunning upset," county deputy Democratic elections commissioner Dan French said.

Kuffner said he campaigned hard to win the primary as a write-in candidate.

"I worked hard and I'm going to continue to work hard to let the people of the legislative District 7 have a true choice," he said.

But not so fast, said David Gamache, the county Republican elections commissioner.

Gamache said the posted outcome is suspect. Errors may have been made in counting the votes and calling in the results to the board of elections Tuesday night.

"To have someone's name on the ballot and to receive that many write-ins is highly unusual," Gamache said.

At 3 p.m. today the final outcome could be determined. That's when the county election commissioners plans to open all the Hyde Park voting machines and recount the votes.

"Tomorrow the machines and paper will tell the tale," Gamache said.

Reilly said she is awaiting that recount before commenting on the outcome.

I have since been informed by my dad that election officials have certified this result, so Uncle Dan is the winner of the Independence Party primary as a write-in. The thing to understand here is that in New York, you can run for an office with the nomination of more than one party. Uncle Dan already has the Democratic and Working Family Party nominations for County Legislator; this was strictly for the right to add the Independence Party to his ballot line. Winning it as a write-in is a nice little coup.

And to address Mr. Gamache's concerns, Uncle Dan could've gotten that many write-ins just on the strength of votes from relatives. Hell, if his extended non-Dutchess County family were allowed to cast a ballot, he'd already have enough support to win the November election. So congrats, Uncle Dan! Your fellow-Democrat-in-a-family-of-Republicans nephew salutes you.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on September 21, 2007 to Election 2007