ALBANY, NY (12/14/2010)(readMedia)-- The State Board of Elections yesterday met as the State Board of Canvassers officially certifying the results of the statewide and other state election contests held on November 2nd.
The election totals showed that Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, the Democrat-Independence-Working Families candidate for Governor, won election over Republican-Conservative-Taxpayer candidate, Carl P. Paladino, by a plurality of 1,363,515 votes.
In addition to certifying the election of Governor-elect Cuomo and Rochester Mayor Robert J. Duffy as Lt. Governor, the Board of Canvassers also certified the election of Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and State Senator Eric T. Schneiderman as Attorney General. Also the Board certified the re-election of United States Senator Charles E. Schumer and the election of United States Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand to the 2-year unexpired remainder of the term of former Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The Board, which met in the offices of the New York State Board of Elections, also certified the state's 29 Congressional contests, the vote for 61 of 62 State Senate races and 149 out of 150 Members of the Assembly and for contests for State Supreme Court Justice in various Judicial Districts. For details please see the Board of Elections website, www.elections.state.ny.us. The 100th Assembly District and the 7th Senate District results are still in litigation and will be certified at the earliest opportunity following the completion of all court actions.
The Board of Canvassers is comprised of the four commissioners of the State Board of Elections. Serving as joint clerks to the Board were the two co-Executive Directors of the State Board of Elections. The State Board of Elections is responsible for the preparation and tabulation of the election results as certified by the local County Boards of Elections for certification by the State Board of Canvassers.
Attorney General Cuomo and Mayor Duffy polled 2,610,123 votes on the Democratic line, 146,646 votes on the Independence Party line and 154,847 on the Working Families Party line for a combined total of 2,911,616 votes.
Mr. Paladino and Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards, candidate for Lt. Governor, polled 1,290,017 votes on the Republican line, 232,264 votes on the Conservative Party line and 25,820 votes on the Taxpayers line for a combined total of 1,548,101 votes
Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins received 59,928 votes, 9,928 more than the required 50,000 votes needed to qualify the Green Party as an official party for the next four years. The Green Party will hold the sixth ballot position in future elections. As a result of the balloting, the Conservative Party, which polled 232,264 votes for its gubernatorial candidate, will move up to the third position, the Working Families Party will move up to the fourth position with 154,847 votes and the Independence Part will drop to the fifth position with 146,646 votes.
Libertarian Party candidate, Warren Redlich, received 48,386 votes, missing the 50,000 vote mark for official party status by 1,614 votes. Jimmy McMillian of the Rent is 2 Damn High Party received 41,131 votes. New York City Councilmember Charles Barron of the Freedom Party received 24,572 votes. Anti-Prohibition Party candidate Kristin Davis received 20,429 votes.
Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli was elected to his first full term after having been appointed to replace the former Comptroller Alan Hevesi who left office in the middle of his term. Mr. DiNapoli's plurality was 202,245 votes. DiNapoli received 2,089,739 votes on the Democratic line and 182,983 votes on the Working Families Party line for a combined total of 2,272,722 votes. Harry Wilson, the Republican-Conservative-Independence candidate received 1,674,402 votes on the Republican line, 243,491 votes on the Conservative line and 152,354 votes on the Independence line for a combined total of 2,070,247 votes. Julia A. Willebrand, Green Party candidate, received 104,469 votes. John Gaetani, Libertarian candidate, received 27,897 votes.
State Senator Eric Schneiderman, Democratic-Indepedence-Working Families candidate for Attorney General, defeated Staten Island District Attorney and Republican-Conservative candidate Dan Donovan with a plurality of 570,180 votes. Schneiderman received 2,174,058 on the Democratic line, 126,556 votes on the Independence line and 178,850 votes on the Working Families line, for a combined total of 2,479,464 votes. Mr. Donovan received 1,627,799 on the Republican line and 281,485 votes on the Conservative line for a combined total of 1,909,284 votes. Carl E. Person, Libertarian candidate, received 36,547 votes and Ramon J. Jimenez, Freedom candidate, received 18,128 votes.
United States Senator Charles E. Schumer, seeking his third six-year term, polled 2,686,606 Democratic, 177,462 Independence and 183,707 Working Families votes for a combined total of 3,047,775 votes to defeat Jay Townsend who received 1,239,537 Republican and 240,800 Conservative votes for a total of 1,480,337 votes. Colia Clark, Green candidate, received 42,341 votes. Randy A. Credico, Libertarian-Anti-Prohibition candidate, received 24,869 votes.
Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand was elected to complete the remaining 2 years of the unexpired 6-year term of former Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton who accepted the President's nomination as U.S. Secretary of State. Senator Gillibrand was appointed by Governor David A. Paterson to fill the interim term. Senator Gillibrand received 2,479,310 Democratic, 175,631 Independence and 182,648 Working Families votes for a combined total of 2,837,589 votes. Joseph J. DioGuardi, Republican-Conservative-Taxpayers candidate received 1,582,603 combined votes. Celia Lawrence, Green candidate, received 35,487 votes. John Clifton, Libertarian candidate, received 18,414 votes. Joseph Huff, Rent is 2 Damn High candidate, received 17,018 votes. Vivia Morgan, Anti-Prohibition candidate, received 11,785 votes. Bruce Blakeman, Tax Relief candidate, received 4,516 votes.
The 2010 General Election brought out 4,756,679 voters throughout the state. This represents a turnout of 44.5 % of registered voters. This is the fourth lowest turnout for a gubernatorial election since 1932. (1. 2006/38%; 2. 2002/41.7%; 3. 1998/44.1%)
-30-