(Charles) Rangel Holds Lead at End of Vote Count

Source: NY Times

Representative Charles B. Rangel maintained a nearly 1,000-vote lead on Saturday after election officials finished a hand count of the ballots in the June Democratic primary, giving him an edge in his bid for a 22nd term in the House.

After the New York City Board of Elections finished counting several thousand provisional and absentee ballots on Friday, it turned to ballots that had been declared invalid but, after challenges from the candidates, were reinstated.

In the end, Mr. Rangel, with 18,940 votes, had a lead of 990 over his main rival, State Senator Adriano Espaillat, who had 17,950 votes.

The two men have been battling to represent the reconfigured 13th Congressional District, which includes parts of northern Manhattan and the Bronx. Long a seat of black political power, the district now has a mostly Hispanic population.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/nyregion/after-hand-count-rangel-holds-lead-over-espaillat-in-primary.html