NORWICH – The margin of votes between Frank Revoir and Joseph McBride in the primary for Chenango County Court Judge last Thursday did not change after an unofficial count of absentee ballots yesterday.

Revoir received a total of 2,259 votes to McBride’s 1,981 on the Republican line. The Board of Elections certifies the results seven days after an election, but Republican Commissioner Harriet Jenkins said, “If absentees haven’t come back already, mostly they are not coming back.”

There were 12,411 eligible Republican voters and 4,315 came out.

On the Conservative line, with 83 of 437 registered voters coming to the polls, Revoir earned 53; McBride 30. On the Independence line, Revoir took 91; McBride, 83; and Diane DiStefano, 56. Only 231 of 1,569 Independence Party registered voters marked ballots.

The turnout in City of Norwich Ward 6 was very high, with 172 of 265 registered Republican voters giving Daniel Palmer 83 and Thomas LoPiccolo 76 votes.

The tallies don’t always equal registered voters due to write-ins, blanks and voids, Jenkins said.

"I want to thank all the people who worked so hard on my behalf," McBride said via phone this morning. "I'm disappointed in the outcome, but it was a pleasure to try and serve the people of Chenango County."

With McBride out of the race, Revoir will be on the Nov. 6 general election ballot on the Republican, Conservative and Indpendence lines, while DiStefano will be listed on the Democrat and Working Families party lines.

The hotly-contested position of Chenango’s county, family and surrogate court judge came up for grabs with the impending retirement of Hon. Judge Howard Sullivan in January. The position carries a 10-year term.