Patricia Doxsey is reporting for the Daily Freeman the cost of the hand recount of ballots in the Ulster County district attorney race was nowhere near the $16,000 to $20,000 range originally estimated by county officials. The cost was "minimal beyond our own staffing," county Republican Commissioner of Elections Thomas Turco said. And Ashley Dittus, Turco's Democratic counterpart, said the board "didn't really have to hire a lot of people or rent space." The commissioners said the original cost guess was based on the assumption the recount would have to be completed before January 1. That deadline changed once they learned that Republican candidate Michael Kavanaugh would assume the role of acting DA when the term of then District Attorney Holley Carnright ended December 31. Turco said, "... If the succession was not clear and we needed a district attorney by Jan. 1, all bets were off." Dittus said the Board of Elections has not yet done a financial breakdown of the recount costs, but she said the office only used "a little part-time help." Democrat David Clegg ultimately won the race by 78 votes. He was sworn last week. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.