By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-933174.mp3
Albany, NY – Albany is keeping watch on a few very tight races that could impact the makeup of the New York State Senate. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.
Less than 200 votes separate Westchester County candidates Democratic Senator Suzi Oppenheimer and her Republican challenger Bob Cohen, with no word from election or campaign officials as to when final results will be in.
Long Island Democratic incumbent Craig Johnson is more than 400 votes behind the Mineola Village Mayor, Jack Martins.
In western New York, Erie County Democrat Senator Antoine Thompson is 500 votes baehind Defense attorney Mark Grisanti.
In the North Country, Senator Darrel Aubertine hasn't conceded the race to Republican Patty Ritchie, who is leading by more than 3-thousand votes with nearly 6-thousand absentee ballots to be counted.
The four yet to be determined New York Senate races will shape state government at a critical time when Legislative districts have to be redrawn in line with 2010 U.S. Census data. There are 62 members of the New York State Senate. Democrats have held a 32-seat majority for the past two years.