Jefferson County begins counting record number of absentee ballots

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWNY) - Let the counting begin.

Volunteers at Jefferson County Board of Elections are hard at work as they begin counting nearly 8,000 absentee ballots.

Republican Elections Commissioner Jude Seymour says this is the most the county board of elections has ever done.

The county sent out nearly 9,000 absentee ballots total - almost triple the amount from past presidential elections.

Seymour says it’s too soon to know the impact absentees will have on any races.

“We have seen in the past that absentees have flipped and obviously this year is different with Democrats tending to use the mail-in system a little more than Republicans have. We should wait until everyone’s cast ballot has been counted before we decide who has won or lost any race,” he said.

Seymour says he hopes all counting will be finished before Thanksgiving.

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