Absentee ballots were counted in the Buffalo School Board Park District race and incumbent Carl Paladino is the winner. Paladino defeated 18-year-old Austin Harig. But the 18-year-old opponent created a tight race for the powerful businessman.
“Mr. Paladino won in connections,” said Hutch Tech senior Austin Harig. Harig appeared inside a noisy room at the Erie County Board of Elections late Tuesday morning as 161-absentee ballots were counted. Paladino received 89 of those ballots, while Harig picked up 64. Paladino won by 132 votes.
"That's something to be proud of," stated Harid. Those 132 votes, you know, I consider myself to have one.” stated Harig. "I beat him in more precincts in the district then I lost. In the districts he did win, he won by a lot. I won in 24 districts. He won in 20."
Harig told reporters he's proud of taking on Paladino and denied the teachers union put him up to running.
“Nobody put me up to it. Carl was going around south Buffalo saying ‘oh the teachers and everyone are putting this kid up to it’. No, that wasn’t true. I did this because I felt like there was a problem,” explained Harig.
Last Tuesday evening, election results indicated the teen lost by 107-votes. The 161-absentee ballots and several affidavit votes were counted Tuesday morning. Erie County Democratic Election Commissioner Len Lenhian tells WBFO News it was a long-shot for Harig to make up the percentage needed to win.
"It's hard to make up 107-votes with just 161 to count. You need about 85% of the absentees or so to make up that difference," said Lenihan.
Harig was considering a lawsuit against Paladino for telling reporters last Tuesday night that Harig had been suspended at his school. But now Harig appears to be backing down saying he would have to sue the entire school district in accusing Paladino of violating a federal privacy law.
“And that’s not what I ran on,” because I said he’s causing people to sue the district and it’s costing them millions of dollars and I wanted to be part of stopping that and, so suing him, and the district, would be hypocritical of me,” remarked Harig.
Paladino claims he heard about the suspension on the streets. Instead Harig says he might pursue administrative action against Paladino.
“Mr. Paladino did break the law and he could be dismissed from his position from on the school board because he isn’t respecting the privacy of
