In the latest information released by the New York State Board of Elections, Astorino has garnered 65,686 (51.31 percent) of the votes to Harckham’s 58,233 (45.48 percent).
The Board of Elections said that 258 of 277 districts have reported.
The 40th Senate District includes Briarcliff Manor, Buchanan, Cortlandt, Croton-on-Hudson, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, Mount Pleasant, New Castle, North Salem, Peekskill, Pleasantville, Pound Ridge, Sleepy Hollow, Somers and Yorktown in Westchester County; Brewster, Carmel, Patterson and Southeast in Putnam County; and Beekman and Pawling in Dutchess County.
Harckham had his best showing in Westchester, narrowly garnering the majority of the vote there, though Astorino handily won in Putnam and Dutchess, though approximately 35,000 absentee ballots are to be counted.
Of the absentee ballots, approximately 20,000 were from Democrats, 7,000 from Republicans, and 8,000 from independents.
If he is victorious, Astorino would give Republicans a powerful voice in the Senate, which is currently represented by a Democrat majority.
Astorino cautioned that it could be at least a week until it is ultimately determined who won the race.
“Just a quick note because so many of you have been asking. We are leading by about six points (7,500 votes),” he said. “These figures reflect all the early and Election Day voting but it doesn't include the absentee ballots that remain to be counted. We're cautiously optimistic that we will win but we won't know for at least a week.”
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