Sara Kendall gives an update from the Board of Elections office:

Republican William Hallenbeck leads Democrat Nick Haddad by 22 votes after the counting of absentee and affadavit ballots in the city's first four wards. Only the Fifth Ward remains, and Hallenbeck won the Fifth Ward on Election Night, and is expected to do well in the Fifth Ward. Kendall says it should be after 6 p.m. before a final tally is announced.

WGXC volunteer and host of "Battlefield Earth" Dan Seward reports at 11:30 a.m. from the Columbia County Board of Elections where they are trying to figure out who will be the next mayor of Hudson:

Representatives from both candidates, Republican William Hallenbeck and Democrat Nick Haddad, are scrutinizing each and every absentee ballot and affadavit. Signatures are being matched to voter records and specific addresses. A consensus by all parties must be reached before the vote can be officially counted. If so much as a comma is misplaced it can invalidate the entire ballot. The process will continue until all of the "I's" have been dotted and "t"'s crossed. The count comes after Monday's day-long hand recount of every ballot cast on Election day. Representatives had begun counting absentee ballots by ward at 11:30 a.m. Ballots are being counted at the Board of Elections on 401 State St. in Hudson and is open for public observation.

Seward reports Haddad gained 17 votes in the First Ward, where he won handily on election night. Hallenbeck is expected to pick up more votes in the Fifth Ward, where he did well on election night.