NY court paves way for ballot count in Senate race - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

NY court paves way for ballot count in Senate race

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York's highest court is paving the way for the counting of additional disputed ballots in a state Senate race that can affect the complex balance of power in the chamber.
    
The decision not to consider an appeal by Republicans means a lower court will count 99 ballots, most of which were contested by the GOP.
    
Republican George Amedore led Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk by 37 votes on election night in November out of the 126,000 votes cast in the 46th Senate District,  which winds from Montgomery County to Ulster county.
    
The Court of Appeals decision ends a hold on the counting of ballots.

"We look forward to resolving the electoral process and counting the ballots ruled valid by the courts to ensure these New Yorkers have their voices heard," Tkaczyk said.

"We accept the Court of Appeals decision not to hear either side in this extended campaign for the 46th State Senate seat," a spokesman for Amedore said. "We anticipate the remaining 99 ballots will be counted by the end of this week. We look forward to the final counting and we remain confident. It has been a lengthy process that should be concluded shortly."

Republicans share majority power with a breakaway group of independent Democrats. The former Republican majority drew the 46th district in redistricting to try to hold the majority.