Nov 7, 2017 2 min read

A Westmoreland County judge on Tuesday impounded about 300 absentee ballots cast in Monessen to determine their legality, but it does not appear it will make a difference in the outcome of the mayor’s race in Tuesday’s general election.

Sitting mayor Lou Mavrakis, 80, was staging a write-in campaign against Matthew Shorraw, 27, who defeated Mavrakis in the primary for the Democratic nomination. There is no Republican in the race.

With 12 of 13 precincts counted late Tuesday, Shorraw had 947 votes. There were 467 write-in ballots cast. Even if all of the write-in and absentee ballots were cast for Mavrakis, it does not appear he can overcome Shorraw’s vote total.

The judge on Tuesday impounded about 300 absentee ballots cast in Monessen until a hearing is held to determine if they were cast legally after Shorraw asked for an emergency injunction, according to published reports. Absentee ballots are normally counted on election night in Westmoreland County, but poll workers were ordered to sequester them and return them to the elections office unopened.

The large number of absentee ballots was cast this election after just 28 people voted absentee in the 2013 mayor’s race. Mavrakis said he received inaccurate information from the Westmoreland County Elections Office that people 65 years or older could vote by absentee ballot, which is not an acceptable reason under state law. He said some of his supporters wanted the absentee ballots due to a voting precinct having been moved.