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Four Democrats turned back challenges from Republicans seeking to win the supervisor’s job, the town clerk’s position, and two seats on the town board. But the Republicans aren’t ready to concede anything just yet, claiming there are still a number of absentee ballots to be counted, enough to turn Tuesday’s unofficial results. 

Several positions were open for election in Westerlo this year, but only the town justice seat was contested — and now the race is too close to call. Democratic incumbent Ken Mackey is ahead of Republican Stuart Elderd by two votes with absentee ballots yet to be counted. 

Knox Democrat Russell Pokorny has a lead of 27 votes in the race for supervisor over his Republican-backed opponent, Kregg Grippo, in the unofficial election results, which don’t count absentee ballots. Those same results suggest that the Republican incumbents up for election are staying put.

Unofficial election results show that the Berne Republicans swept away their Democratic competition in all contested races, and the absentee ballots are likely to boost their advantage, thanks to Highway Superintendent and county GOP chairman Randy Bashwinger’s solicitation of many of those ballots.

The preliminary budget, crafted by Berne’s Republican supervisor, Sean Lyons, promises an 88-percent property tax decrease while increasing spending as Lyons spends down the town’s reserve funds and uses pandemic relief money — which Democrats say is a dangerous move, if not illegal. 

KNOX — Gary Kleppel is a sheep farmer who likes coyotes.

He is perpetually aware of the ecological balance of which he is a part.

Every morning, Kleppel and his border collie bring their 30 sheep from barn to pasture and then, every night, return them to the barn.