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In walk-in voting on Election Day in Genesee County, Chris Jacobs far outpolled his opponents in the special election race to fill the vacant NY-27 race, getting 4,536 votes in the unofficial tally to 1,565 for Nate McMurray and 155 for Duane Whitmer.

Jacobs has declared victory in the NY-27 race and McMurray has said that with far more absentee ballots to be counted than were cast on election day it's premature to say who won and who lost the race.

In the GOP primary for the same seat, Jacobs received 2,473 votes from Genesee County residents to 1,099 for Darien resident Beth Parlato and 340 votes for Stefan Mychajliw.

Districtwide, the Buffalo News reports that Jacobs garnered 70 percent of the walk-in votes to 28 percent for McMurray and has a 30,639 vote lead with 65,509 absentee ballots to be counted.

That count could take a week or more but the Jacobs campaign contends it is mathematically impossible for McMurray to close the gap.

In the GOP primary, Jacobs currently has 25,668 votes to 8,644 for Parlato and 7,190 votes for Mychajliw.

Jacobs, McMurray, and Mychajliw have all issued statements about the election results. We've not received a statement yet from Parlato nor Whitmer.

Jacobs:

Chris Jacobs has declared victory in the Special and Republican Primary for New York’s 27th Congressional District and is releasing the following statement: 

“We did it, it has been a long, challenging and ever-changing election, nevertheless the people of Western New York made their voices heard overwhelmingly for strong, conservative leadership! With the commanding lead I have amassed; I am confident in declaring victory in both the Special and Primary elections.

"Now I am looking forward to getting to Congress and getting right to work fighting alongside our great President for the people of Western New York. I would like to thank all the volunteers, supporters, party leaders, and elected officials who have worked so hard to make this happen, and I would especially like to thank President Trump for his early and consistent support throughout this entire election, I am deeply grateful.”

McMurray:

Tonight, with thousands of ballots left unopened across the 27th Congressional District, millionaire Chris Jacobs declared a premature victory. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a historic number of absentee and mail-in ballots still need to be counted. Absentee counting in most counties will not start until July 1st, and likely won't be completed for at least two weeks. 

 “How can you declare victory before the ballots are counted?” Nate McMurray said on Tuesday night. “There are more ballots still out there, uncounted, than people that voted in-person today. As we have always said, we will fight for every single vote. Chris always wanted to be crowned. The coronation will have to wait. They had to bring the whole Trump family into this to help drag him across the finish line. He can peacock. We will talk in two weeks.”

Mychajliw:

Congressional candidate Stefan I. Mychajliw Jr. released the following statement on the New York 27th Congressional District election results:

“I called Chris Jacobs a few minutes ago to congratulate him on his victory in the Republican Primary. I’m thankful for the support I’ve received in this race. We said it was important to let voters decide, and they have. While not victorious, I’m proud of the race we ran. We stayed above the fray, and ran a positive campaign on the issues. I’m a loyal Republican – always have been, always will be. Just like I have in the past, I will work hard to keep NY-27 in Republican hands in November."

UPDATE: Statement from Parlato:

"I got in this race to give every voter in NY-27 a choice, and that is exactly what we did. Although not victorious, I am grateful for each and every vote, prayer and supporter. We ran a tough campaign, and I’m proud of all that were involved. I look forward to campaigning for President Trump as we fight harder than ever to protect our freedoms and conservative values."

If you're going to Genesee Community College to vote and enter the campus from the main entrance, you will encounter barriers that will keep you from getting to the Richard C. Call Arena, where voting is taking place (until 9 p.m.).

These barriers prompted a reader to contact The Batavian to complain that voting at the campus was being disrupted and that perhaps some people may be confused and wind up not voting.

She also indicated she had contacted the Board of Elections.

In an interview with Dick Siebert, the Republican election commissioner, earlier today, Siebert mentioned there had been a complaint about confusing access at the campus and that Lorie Longhany, the Democratic commissioner, had driven to GCC to see what was going on.

Longhany this evening that she found the entry to the Call Arena -- by that, she means the secondary road on the west end of campus -- unobstructed and with good signage directing voters where to go.  

"I felt it was easy access for me and I get lost going in a straight line," Longhany said.

She said she contacted a maintenance supervisor at GCC about the barriers and he said the barriers had been placed to protect the recently striped portions of the parking lot.

Photo: Reader-submitted photo.

The National Weather Service reports a strong thunderstorm is moving through Genesee County at 35 mph.

Winds from the storm could exceed 40 mph.

Torrential rainfall is possible and may cause localized flooding.

After hitting an unprecedented 14.4 percent in April, Genesee County's unemployment rate fell sharply for May, dropping to 10.1 percent.

That is a level more in line with the area unemployment rate at the depth of the great recession when unemployment topped out at an even 10 percent January and February of 2010.

Of course, the May 2020 unemployment rate is much higher than the 3.4 percent of a year ago.

At the same time, there are also more people participating in the workforce in Genesee County than a year ago, an increase of 200 workers who either have employment or are seeking employment, from 29,300 to 29,500.

The total number of local residents considered unemployed is 3,000, compared to 1,000 a year ago, 4,200 a month ago, and 1,400 two months ago.

The state's unemployment rate is 14.2 percent, up from 3.6 percent a year ago, and the U.S. unemployment rate 13 percent. Nationally, it was 3.4 percent a year ago in May.

Press release:

• Genesee County received three new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 215 positive cases.
  • Two of the positive individuals reside in Batavia and one resides in Byron.
  • Two of the individuals are in their 40s and one is in their 50s.
  • Zero of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Zero of the new positive individuals was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • One of the total active cases are hospitalized.
• Orleans County received zero new positive cases of COVID-19 today, for a total of 263 positive cases.
  • One of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Thirteen of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.

There are now 10 active cases in Genesee County.

The old joke is: Vote early and vote often.

In 2020, it's more than a joke.  

Voters in Genesee County received more than 7,000 absentee ballots over the past several weeks, and with elections that would normally be on different days consolidated into a single day, both Republicans and Democrats have multiple ballots to cast.

The turnout at local polling places today, said Dick Siebert, Republican election commissioner, has been light. That is likely due to all those voters who requested absentee ballots.

Siebert doesn't have a count on how many ballots have been returned so far, but while some in politics have expressed concern about the prospect of voter fraud from mail-in ballots, Siebert said there is no indication of fraud in Genesee County.

"I hear that nationally there have been reports in other counties, but not in Genesee County, of one person or one group asking for 350 ballots," Siebert said. "We don't have that problem in Genesee County. No representative or candidate has asked for as many as 15 or 20 ballots."

The potential problem with absentee ballots, Siebert said, is that there is no opportunity to check an ID of a voter the way polling workers could for a person voting at a designated polling place. That doesn't mean there isn't a way to help protect against voter fraud with absentee ballots but it's a lot more work, Siebert said.

Workers must pull the registration card for every voter who submits an absentee ballot and check the signature at the time of registration against the signature on the envelope containing the ballot.

For this election, even with an anticipated turnout of the more than the 25 to 30 percent that might be typical, it's going to take county staff some time to sort through all those ballots before they can be counted.

Siebert is worried about the general election in November when turnout is expected to top 80 percent. If the pandemic is still raging and people must still maintain social distances the number of absentee ballots to be verified and counted would be well beyond anything local officials ever had to deal with before.

"That would be a disaster," Siebert said. "The workload, the time it would take, if the same thing happens in the fall, we're going to be overwhelmed."

As it is, residents should not expect final election results tonight. This evening, results for today's in-person voting will be released after polls close at 9 p.m. but the absentee ballot count won't be finished until July.

If you haven't voted yet and go to a polling place today, masks are required.

Also, if you haven't dropped your absentee ballot in the mail yet, it's too late; however, you can drop it off at your neighborhood polling location.

A traffic accident in the area of 6895 Ellicott Street, Pavilion, has apparently knocked out power for 104 customers of National Grid, including Pavilion Town Hall.

The accident was reported at about 11:30 a.m.

The ETA for power restoration is 1 p.m.

No word on injuries in the accident.

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: A spokesman for National Grid confirmed the accident caused the power outage. The new ETA for power restoration is 3 p.m.

UPDATE 1:48 p.m.: The road is reopened. The Pavilion assignment is back in service.

UPDATE: Reader-submitted photos

Press release:

As of 2 p.m.

• Genesee County received four new positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 212 positive cases.
  • One of the positive individuals reside in Batavia, one resides in Bethany, and one resides in Darien.
  • One of the new positive cases is a resident of The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia.
  • One of the individuals is in their 20s, one is in their 50s, one is in their 70s, and one is in their 80s.
  • Two of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • One of the new positive individuals was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • One of the total active cases are hospitalized.
• Orleans County received three new positive case of COVID-19 today, for a total of 263 positive cases.
  • One of the new positive cases resides in Murray.
  • Two of the new positive cases reside at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.
  • One of the new positive cases is in their 50s, one of the new positive cases is in their 70s and one of the new positive cases is in their 90s.
  • The new positive community case was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
  • Three of the previous community positive cases have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.
  • Twelve of the total active positive cases are hospitalized. Please note those in the hospital may be from the community or a state-regulated facility. We do not separate them out to protect their privacy.
  • We have received word that we have lost an Orleans County resident due to COVID-19. The individual was a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends during this very sad time.

NOTE: There are eight active cases in Genesee County.

After a heavy downpour this afternoon, the area under the train bridge on Cedar Street flooded for a short time.

Town of Batavia fire is on scene for an accident involving two vehicles and a semi-truck in the area of 9331 Lewiston Road.

Traffic is blocked.

Unknown injuries.

A two-car accident, unknown injuries, is reported at North Lake Road and Peachy Road, Bergen.

The accident is blocking the intersection.

Bergen fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 1:10 p.m.: One car blocking.

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: No injuries; medics are put back in service.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: Bergen Fire Police are called to Route 19 and Sackett Road to shut the road down.

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.13, which is 3 cents higher than a week ago. One year ago, the price was $2.66. The New York State average is $2.23 – 1 penny higher than last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.85.

AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia -- $2.25 (no change since last week)
• Buffalo -- $2.19 (no change since last week)
• Ithaca -- $2.13 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Rochester -- $2.20 (down 1 cent since last week)
• Rome -- $2.25 (up 1 cent since last week)
• Syracuse -- $2.13 (up 2 cents since last week)
• Watertown -- $2.23 (up 1 cent since last week)

Gas prices remain much more affordable than last year making summer road trips more enticing to area families. This year, AAA Western and Central New York expects road trips to be the most popular form of travel with families looking to drive to destinations.

The national average price for a gallon of gasoline is 53 cents cheaper than last year at this time, while the New York average price is 62 cents cheaper than a year ago, making road trips an affordable option for motorists.

From GasBuddy:

"Gasoline demand has continued to recover over the last week, with a 3-percent rise in demand versus last week according to data from Pay with GasBuddy, and that continues to push gasoline prices higher as well, for the eighth straight week," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy.

"Americans continue to increasingly get in the car as summer progresses, eager not to miss out on the best months of the year, and our data is clear on that. In turn, the resurgence in gasoline demand is also pushing oil prices to their highest level in months, fueling gas prices to rebound as Americans try to find some sense of normalcy amidst the ongoing COVID-19 situation. For now, its likely that we remain on this path of rising prices, but we won't see gas prices snap back to normal for some time yet."

The crowd may not have been as big for the Rotary Club's annual Father's Day Pancake Breakfast as it would have been if they had been able to conduct the breakfast in the sit-down style of the past 20 years, but club members were pleased with their well-organized effort to feed members of the community for free.

Nobody had to pay this morning for three pancakes, two sausage links, butter and syrup, milk and orange juice, though donations were gratefully accepted.

On what should have been their prom night on Saturday, Batavia High School seniors were given a chance to celebrate the close of their final year of high school with a parade through the city, passing Robert Morris, Jackson Primary, John Kennedy, the nursing home, and then returning to Batavia HS.

A 2013 BMW allegedly failed to yield coming off of North Bergen Road around noon today crossing West Sweden Road. The BMW reportedly hit a trailer being hauled by a 2016 Nissan pickup causing the trailer to flip over.

Reader-submitted photos and information.

A perpetrator is still at large following a late-night break-in at Dave's Ice Cream, 3872 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

Local law enforcement is looking for an individual who made forced entry into the ice cream shop at about 10:50 p.m. and was wearing black pants, a black coat, a gray hoodie, white gloves, and a black mask.

The subject attempted to gain entry to the cash register before fleeing in what appeared to be a small, white SUV.

Owner Debra Webster became aware of the burglary in progress because of a security camera in the store that alerted her on her phone to activity inside the closed and locked shop. She called 9-1-1 and Sheriff's deputies, with back up from Batavia PD and State troopers, responded but the perpetrator had left before police arrived.

Webster said the burglar did not seem familiar with the store and that no money was left in the store so no money was taken.

She is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the criminal.

The Sheriff's Office is continuing the investigation. Anyone with information pertinent to the case is asked to call Investigator Chris Parker or Deputy Jordan Alejandro at (585) 343-5000.

UPDATE: Photo of the intruder's face submitted by Debra Webster.

VIDEO: Courtesy Debra Webster. Note: The submitted video was 2:30 long. We've trimmed it to include only the portions that show the intruder and the SUV.

(Initial Report)

Press release:

Politifact, a fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and candidates, announced today that Chris Jacobs’ most recent TV ad is entirely false. The ad repeats a set of lies first put forward by Chris Collins about Nate McMurray. In particular, the ad claims that McMurray sent American jobs to Asia and China, which is entirely not true.

“I can’t believe this man has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on this false message, the same false message first put forward by Chris Collins. He’s doubling down on those dated lies. This ad must be effective, but what does it say about Jacobs’ judgment that he would so openly lie to get elected?” McMurray said.

Instead of talking about the critical issues that matter, like creating jobs, Jacobs seems concerned with only one issue: lying about and slandering his opponent. Instead of lies, McMurray has talked throughout this campaign season about expanding healthcare and protecting Social Security and Medicare.

McMurray's press release did not contain a link to the fact-checking site. Below are links to pages fact-checking both McMurray and Jacobs, finding a mixture of false and true statements for both candidates.

• Nate McMurray
• Chris Jacobs

Oakfield-Alabama Class of 2020 Graduation

The four local men who organized the March for Justice in Batavia on June 7 have joined together with eight more local residents to form Just Kings Social Club to help promote racial equality in the city. Friday, they hosted their first event at the YWCA: Day one of a two-day Juneteenth celebration.

Today (Saturday), the event starts at noon and runs until 7 p.m. There will be food and beverages, live entertainment, as well as vendor booths.

The YWCA is located at 301 North St., Batavia.

The end of slavery in the United States is not marked by one single date.

Juneteenth evolved out of the cooperation of June 19 in Texas, the day slaves were freed in the former rebellious state in 1865, two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves in territory still held by Confederates.

It wouldn't be until December 1865 that the 13th Amendment was ratified banning slavery in the United States. Many believe the struggle for equality and liberty for black Americans has yet to be fully realized.