MAYVILLE — Returned absentee and affidavit ballots from the June 23 Primary Elections will be counted and added to election night totals this week, announce Election Commissioners Norman P. Green and Brian C. Abram.

A total of 5,431 Democratic Presidential Primary absentees were mailed out and 4,276 have been returned, with an additional 44 affidavit ballots. Election Day returns found 1,351 voters had ballots scanned at the polls. A percentage total of 23% of Democrats voted and of that total 75% of all Democrats voting cast their ballots from home. Democratic absentee/affidavit ballots were scheduled to be opened Wednesday following confirmation from the NYS Board of Elections that no voters transferred their voter registrations to another county. Once totaled, the votes will be certified and sent to the state to add to Statewide and Congressional district totals.

A total of 341 Busti Town Republican absentees were mailed out and 268 have been returned, with an additional two affidavit ballots. Election Day returns found 278 voters had ballots scanned at the polls. A percentage total of 25% of Republicans voted and of that total 49% of Busti Republicans cast ballots from home. Republican absentee/affidavit ballots will be opened at 9 a.m. today and a winner of the Busti Republican Town Council Primary will be determined that day.

There were 19 Libertarian State Committee absentee ballots that were mailed out for a western New York 8th Judicial District run off to determine area leadership for the party. A total of eight ballots have been returned, with an additional two affidavit ballots. Libertarian absentee/affidavit ballots will be opened at 8:30 a.m. today.

By order of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, every eligible county voter was mailed an absentee ballot application due to the COVID19 pandemic. Affidavit ballots are provided to voters who have moved into the jurisdiction, or if the voter’s poll record is missing. These ballots are researched to determine if the voter is eligible to vote and has not cast a ballot elsewhere. The affidavit and absentee totals are added to the election night totals.

“We will be counting about 5,300 absentee and affidavit ballots using our high speed absentee ballot counter this week for the primary,” said Abram. “Our paperwork will be completed for this election on Thursday.”

“We received plenty of absentee counting practice earlier this month when we counted over 15,000 school election ballots for eleven county school districts. The remaining seven school districts hand counted,” added Green.

Final totals will be available at the votechautauqua.com immediately following the tabulations.