Benson (file): “… not ethical …”
MONTICELLO – Incumbent Sullivan County Legislator Gene Benson’s election night margin over his Republican challenger was over 50 votes, but with a canvass underway, the margin is down to around 12 votes.
Benson, meanwhile, has filed 48 separate challenges to ballots cast by students. That could delay things substantially.
The Democrat legislator says his issue is specifically with out-of-county
students attending the two-year community college from other counties.
A lot of votes were cast by SUNY Sullivan students.
“Technically, if that chargeback is being done with another county, that’s where that student should go, because the county is subsidizing their education,” Benson said, referring to the students’ home counties. “Basically, it’s not ethical in my opinion.”
The county Board of Elections is part way through its screening of absentee ballots. That process could take a few more days.
