Westchester County Legislator James Nolan has refused to concede his reelection bid, alleging the election was "stolen" due to widespread vote machine malfunctions on Election Day. Nolan, the sole Republican on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, trails Democratic challenger Kisha D. Skipper by 246 votes, according to unofficial results from the Westchester County Board of Elections.
Nolan, who represents parts of Yonkers, Bronxville, and Eastchester, made his claims in a statement after the ballot counting concluded. "Following a massive countywide voting machine shutdown on Election Day, I have serious concerns about what took place, and the timing of these failures raises questions that demand answers," Nolan stated. "The truth is the election wasn’t only stolen from me, but it was stolen from you. Let me be absolutely clear: I am NOT conceding this election."
He added that all available legal options are being considered and that he intends to pursue every avenue to ensure all lawful votes were counted and voters had a fair opportunity to participate. Nolan also urged anyone who was turned away from a polling location or unable to vote due to machine failures to contact his campaign.
The election faced significant disruption when voting machine scanners in Westchester County failed to scan paper ballots on Election Day, reportedly due to a software glitch. Hand-marked ballots were secured and transported by police escort to the Board of Elections building for counting in the presence of attorneys.
Nolan indicated that absentee ballots mailed before Election Day, affidavit ballots, and military ballots have yet to be tallied. The incumbent's claim comes as other Republican incumbents in competitive districts, including U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, were also trailing or ousted by Democratic challengers.
Lawler, who lost his race in the 17th congressional district, publicly stated that there would be "no conspiracy theory" regarding election integrity, emphasizing that every vote would be counted. The Board of Elections and Skipper's campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
If the current results hold, Westchester County's Board of Legislators, which has a Democratic majority, would become entirely Democratic for the first time. Conservative Party legislator Margaret Cunzio is also significantly behind her Democratic opponent, Michael L. Peppard.
The election's outcome in Westchester County reflects a broader "blue wave" seen in other parts of New York and the country.