ALBANY COUNTY — The unofficial June 23 primary election results for the Conservative Party line in the 111th Assembly District show Republican newcomer Paul DeLorenzo with a strong lead over his opponent, incumbent Democrat Angelo Santabarbara.

Because of the large number of absentee ballots, final results are delayed.

DeLorenzo has earned nearly 70 percent of votes while Santabarbara garnered only about 23 percent.

Assemblyman Santabarbara has represented the 111th District since 2013. The district is composed of Montgomery County, most of Schenectady County, and the towns of Berne and Knox in Albany County.

Neither Santabarbara nor DeLorenzo could immediately be reached for comment.

DeLorenzo, a lawyer, told The Enterprise during a pre-primary interview that he wants to lower taxes in New York, which he believes are driving out businesses and residents, and that he opposes bail reform as well as recent reform that would allow the public to see police discipline records.

DeLorenzo received 265 votes total, or 69 percent of the 384 votes cast. Santabarbara received 90 votes, or 23.4-percent. The remaining 29 votes were either blank or void. 

In Albany County, DeLorenzo received 10 of 12 votes, with Santabarbara receiving the last two. In Montgomery County, DeLorenzo received 88 of 112 votes, with Santabarbara receiving 21, and three votes deemed void. 

The greatest number of voters came from Schenectady County, who gave Delorenzo 167 of 260 votes total, leaving Santabarbara with 67 votes. The remaining 26 votes were blank or void.

The state Board of Elections website says that a historic number of absentee ballots were received, a likely consequence of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive order that limited the number of polling locations and sent absentee ballots to every registered voter in the state who requested one as a means of stifling the coronavirus pandemic.