You are reading

More Than 6,300 Ballots Left to be Counted in Contentious Queens DA Race

Melinda Katz casting her vote in Tuesday’s election. (Melinda Katz)

June 27, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan

With several thousand absentee and paper ballots left to be counted in Queens District Attorney Democratic primary, Borough President Melinda Katz has not yet conceded to insurgent candidate Tiffany Cabán.

Cabán, who earned a slight lead over Katz of 1,090 votes with 98 percent of precincts reporting, declared victory over the career politician on Tuesday evening shortly after 11 p.m.

Katz appears to be holding out hope that the uncounted affidavit, absentee and military ballots will swing the election in her favor.

“You have to count every vote,” Katz said on election night.

Early reports suggested that there were roughly 3,400 uncounted votes, however a new report from The City states that the Board of Elections (BOE) has claimed the number is closer to 6,300 and is expected to grow in the coming days as more absentee ballots come through the mail.

The Board of Elections did not respond to requests for comment.

While Katz is remaining optimistic, it is likely that the posted ballots will not change the results of election night. The votes are expected to be split amongst the seven names on the ticket, including Council Member Rory Lancman who dropped out of the race just days before the election—after some absentee ballots would have already been mailed.

The BOE began the process of recounting machine votes earlier today, CBS reported, to ensure the accuracy of Tuesday night’s results. The absentee and paper ballots will be counted over the coming days and may not be completed until Wednesday, July 3.

Cabán, a 31-year old public defender, is reportedly in talks to hire prominent election lawyer Jerry Goldfelder to handle the ballot count, according to The City.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Jamaica man sentenced to life for brutal triple murder of girlfriend, her son and cousin in 2022: DA

A Jamaica man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in Queens Supreme Court on Friday for the 2022 murders of his girlfriend, her son, and her cousin.

Travis Blake, 31, of 155th Street, was convicted by a jury last month of first-degree murder and other counts for the triple slaying in June 2022. The bodies of his victims were discovered with an array of puncture and blunt force wounds in a state of decomposition in their shared Jamaica home.

Hard Rock CEO outlines vendor opportunities for $8B Metropolitan Park casino project

May. 2, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

Hard Rock International Chairman and CEO Jim Allen addressed hundreds of Queens-based vendors and small business owners Thursday morning at the Queens Theatre, outlining how they could play a key role in shaping the proposed $8 billion Metropolitan Park casino and entertainment complex near Citi Field—if the project is awarded one of the three downstate gaming licenses up for grabs later this year.

Masked thieves steal thousands from senior woman in Murray Hill robbery: NYPD

Police from the 111th Precinct in Bayside are looking for two masked purse snatchers who targeted a 70-year-old woman on a residential street in Murray Hill and allegedly grabbed her pocketbook that contained thousands of dollars.

The grand larceny occurred just after 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, as the senior was walking near 45th Avenue and 196th Street, a block west of Francis Lewis Boulevard, just south of Northern Boulevard. The stranger approached her from behind and snatched the pocketbook from her hand and then fled the crime scene in a black Chevrolet traveling westbound toward Utopia Parkway. The woman was not injured during the encounter.

Beyond brunch: Unique ways to celebrate Mother’s Day in Queens

May. 2, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With Mother’s Day just over a week away, there’s still plenty of time to plan something meaningful in Queens to celebrate the special women in your life. While brunch or dinner is always a classic choice, there are also unique and memorable ways to mark the occasion with family and friends. From candle-making workshops and floral arranging classes to beer tastings and hands-on crafting, here are some fun and heartfelt ways to celebrate Mother’s Day right here in the community.

Long Islander gets 20 years in prison for ‘sadistic’ months-long crime spree in Queens: DA

A Long Island man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday in Queens Supreme Court after pleading guilty to kidnapping, robbery, and promoting prostitution for three separate incidents.

Gil Iphael, 25, of Copiague Street in Valley Stream, lured his victims to Queens locations for sex with the help of his co-defendant, then his victims were detained, assaulted, and robbed. In one instance, Iphael tried to cut off a man’s toe and threatened to mutilate his genitals.