Bob Valentine wins by 12 votes in tight supervisor's race

Republican Bob Valentine won the election for the town of Chester supervisor in a tight race with Democrat Susan Bahren.

Here's more proof that every vote counts. When all were counted, Valentine won by 12 votes.

Valentine led by 19 votes until Tuesday, when 84 absentee ballots and affidavits were counted at the Orange County Board of Elections in Goshen. The counting of began at 9:30 a.m.

Bahren and Valentine were neck-in-neck for most of the count. When it became obvious that Bahren would not be able to overcome Valentine's lead, everyone present shook Valentine's hand and offered congratulations.

Bahren received 41 absentees/affidavits in Tuesday's count, which, added to her election night tally of 1,284, gives her a total of 1,325 votes.

Valentine received 34 absentees/affidavits. That number pushed up his election night tally of 1,303 tally to 1,337.

Interestingly, Stephen Keahon, a town board candidate, won more votes than either of the supervisor candidates but still lost.

Valentine is the current supervisor but this was his first election to the position. He was serving on the town board when he was appointed last November to fill the vacancy left by the previous supervisor, Alex Jamieson, who resigned.

See sidebar for the final tallies of the Chester town board candidates.