City Councilman Elizabeth Crowley acknowledged Wednesday night that her opponent's margin of victory held during a tally of absentee ballots Wednesday in a very close Queens city council race.
The Board of Elections said it will not certify the result until it certifies all the races, as it does every election.
Sources from Crowley's opponent, Republican Robert Holden, have told NY1 that he has won the race for the 30th city council district.
Holden declared victory on Election Day, even though he was ahead by only 133 votes.
It appears his lead has grown by four votes, although the total has not been confirmed.
Lawyers and election officials came together in Forest Hills earlier Wednesday to count about 700 paper ballots in the race for the district, which covers Woodside, Woodhaven, Ridgewood, Glendale, Middle Village, and Maspeth.
Holden lost to the incumbent, Crowley, in the Democratic primary, but he continued his campaign on the Republican Party line.
Crowley, who has not conceded the race at this time, is seeking a third term in the 30th district.
Crowley had said before the tally that she hoped the uncounted votes would put her over the top.
Board of Elections Executive Director Mike Ryan said that while the counting process is tedious, it is all to ensure voters are getting exactly what they asked for.
"It's a double-check, and what they're also doing is making sure that they actively participate — or I should say actively observe the process — so that in the event that they quarrel or have issue with any decision of the board, they're reserving their write to bring litigation in court after-the-fact."
A mandatory recount occurs when the margin of victory is less than half a percentage point.