Yesterday, we reported a court hearing on what turned out to be 117 late arriving absentee ballots.  

Also on Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Valerie Armstrong ruled that 117 absentee ballots delivered 54 seconds after Tuesday’s 8 p.m. deadline would not be counted. The four members of the Board of Elections, who are scheduled to appear before the grand jury on June 10, were split on a decision to count the late ballots. Armstrong is required to break any tie.

 It is believed that those ballots were brought in by Councilman Marty Small’s campaign, according to reports Tuesday night.

The absentee and messenger ballots could influence the City Council At-Large Democrat Party nominations.   It is possible, but unlikely, that absentee ballots could snatch the nomination away from Moisse Delgado, Frank Gilliam, or George Tibbitt.

Harry Hurley opines:

HarryHurley.com
 
BREAKING NEWS
 
June 3, 2009
1:00 P.M.
 
Atlantic City Councilman George Tibbitt
has taken the lead in the race for City Council at Large.
 
Tibbitt leads by more than 200 votes at this hour.
 
Mo Delgado and Frank Gilliam will finish 2nd and 3rd for the three seats.
 
About 600 more absentee ballots are continuing to be counted.
 
Developing. 

There is still a slim chance that Ernest Coursey could break in to the top three, but he will have to appear in most, if not all, of the remaining absentee ballots.