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Incumbent Democrat Russell will keep 116th Assembly District seat; GOP challenger Byrne concedes

Posted 12/1/14

By ANDY GARDNER After a see-saw race for the 116th Assembly District, Democrat incumbent Addie Russell will keep her seat. Although there isn’t a final count, Republican challenger John Byrne said …

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Incumbent Democrat Russell will keep 116th Assembly District seat; GOP challenger Byrne concedes

Posted

By ANDY GARDNER

After a see-saw race for the 116th Assembly District, Democrat incumbent Addie Russell will keep her seat.

Although there isn’t a final count, Republican challenger John Byrne said Monday he decided to concede when he learned that the number of absentee and affadavit ballots still to be counted was less than the number of votes he needed to win.

The 116th District, the “River District,” includes the St. Lawrence County townships of Massena, Canton, Potsdam, Rossie, Macomb, DePeyster, Louisville, Waddington, Lisbon, Oswegatchie, Morristown, and Hammond and the City of Ogdensburg, plus northern Jefferson County, not including Watertown.

Russell said she led by 96 votes as of the afternoon of Dec. 1, and there were less than 20 ballots to be counted.

The count will be final and all court challenges are withdrawn, according to Russell. Attorneys from both sides had filed challenges to several hundred absentee ballots.

“I’m excited to continue the projects I’m working on and the communities I represent and continuing advocating for schools and local governments and bringing the North Country perspective to the legislature,” Russell said.

She said that she was hoping to have taken a wider victory.

“Given the dismal (voter) turnout and the nationwide trend, it’s closer than I would have liked,” she said.

Byrne said he felt “pretty good” about the outcome, despite his loss at the polls.

“I’m very proud of my family and our campaign staff. I think everyone did a great job,” he said. “Our job was to let the voters know who I am, what I represent … I wanted to offer the voters another option.”

Byrne will continue to serve on the Cape Vincent Town Board. His seat there expires next year, he said.

Finishing third in the Assembly contest was Conservative Russell Finley of Lisbon.