By JIMMY LAWTON

St. Lawrence County Board of Elections officials began tallying more than 1,100 absentee ballots today that could tip the unofficial results of several races.

Among those in question is the race for St. Lawrence County District Attorney. According to elections officials Republican Mary Rain was leading incumbent Democrat Nicole Duvé 9,808 to 9,113.

Although it is statistically unlikely the absentee ballots will change the outcome, Duvé says the race is too close for her to concede just yet, and she will wait for absentee ballots to be counted before she is convinced she lost.

State law prohibits the absentees from being counted until today to ensure that all ballots sent by mail and postmarked on time were received.

Officials say they may not finish the count today due to the high number of absentee ballots.

In Waddington Town Supervisor candidate Sandy Wright, who ran on the Democratic, Republican and Common Sense party lines appears to have won the race by 29 votes, but with as many as 84 absentee votes still in play the race could tighten or swing.

Incumbent Town Supervisor Mark Scott, who ran on the United Residents party line, received 401 votes, compared to his opponent’s 430.

The absentee ballots in Waddington could also overturn unofficial results in the race for town council, which show Republican Shaun L. Prentice beating Democratic incumbent Shirley Robinson 463 to 451.

Results of other Waddington races will not be affected by the absentee ballots.

Also in question is the Clare superintendent of highways election, which came up as a tie, according to unofficial results.

When the votes were counted Nov. 5, incumbent Republican Paul Colton had 26 votes, and challenger Richard L. Hance, running as a Republican and on the ballot line of the Your Choice Party, also had a total of 26 votes. Officials say it could be decided by the two outstanding absentee ballots.

In Ogdensburg a change is unlikely, but possible with up to 147 absentee ballots in play.

Republican Brian Mitchell an incumbent Democrat Daniel E. Skamperle appear to have safely defeated their opponents in a five-way race, but Republican incumbent Michael Morley could potentially be ousted with his 861 votes.

Penny Sharrow, of the Want to Know party received 813 votes, while Republican candidate James R. Amo received 763 votes.

Tallies of absentee and write-in candidates are expected by Nov. 15.