George Latimer, a former Rye City Council member, won the 16th Congressional District seat with 79% of the vote, leading a Democratic sweep of every race on Rye voters' ballots.
The results came despite a countywide ballot scanner malfunction on Election Day, Nov. 3, that forced voters to place paper ballots into orange emergency bags instead of feeding them through machines. As we reported Tuesday, Nov. 3, the failure affected every polling location in Westchester County.
Major races were called by 11 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, even before Westchester's emergency-bag ballots were tallied. The Rye Record reported the following results, all as of that time:
- Governor: Incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul defeated Republican Bruce Blakeman with 71% of the vote.
- 16th Congressional District: Latimer, the Democratic incumbent, defeated Republican Joseph Cinquemani with 79%.
- 37th Senate District: State Sen. Shelley Mayer defeated Republican Thomas Fix Jr. with 72%.
- Attorney General: Incumbent Letitia James defeated Republican Saritha Komatireddy with 71%.
- Comptroller: Incumbent Tom DiNapoli defeated Republican Joseph Hernandez with 75%.
Three races on Rye ballots were unopposed: Democrat Emily Baldwin for Rye City Council, former Rye Mayor Steve Otis for the 91st Assembly District and incumbent County Legislator Anant Nambiar for the 7th District.
Ballot counting set for Wednesday, Nov. 4
The Westchester County Board of Elections said at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, that it would begin counting the emergency-bag ballots at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4. After polls closed at 9 p.m., the ballots were transported under police supervision to the Board of Elections facility in Ardsley, according to the Rye Record. The ballots were to remain under continuous police protection until counting began.
"Our immediate priority is ensuring that every lawful ballot is secured, accounted for, and counted," the Board of Elections said in its statement. The board said its bipartisan team had responded by implementing emergency ballot procedures. "Every ballot cast today has been secured and remains under bipartisan control to ensure its integrity throughout the process," the statement said.
County Executive Ken Jenkins addressed the scanner failure earlier on Election Day. In a video released at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, Jenkins told voters the countywide issue meant scanners were not processing ballots, according to MyRye.com.
"People should understand that their vote will be counted. Period. The end," Jenkins said.
The Board of Elections said final vote totals for the county and state would be reported Wednesday, Nov. 4, after the ballots are counted.
