The only Republican on the Westchester County Board of Legislators is refusing to concede to a Democrat in his bid for reelection — claiming the election was “stolen” from him because of local vote machine chaos.
County Legislator James Nolan made the wild statement as he trailed Democratic challenger Kisha D. Skipper by 246 votes in his reelection bid, according to unofficial results from the Westchester County Board of Elections.
Nolan, who represents portions of Yonkers, Bronxville, and Eastchester, was in position to lose his seat after days of ballot counting following a widespread programming glitch on Election Day in Westchester County that saw voting machines unable to scan paper ballots.
The race was already ensnared in controversy when Skipper was handcuffed and detained by cops after a restroom brawl with Nolan’s mother at a candidates’ forum in Yonkers last month.
“Following a massive countywide voting machine shutdown on Election Day, I have serious concerns about what took place, and the timing of these failures raises questions that demand answers,” Nolan said in a statement after ballots were counted Saturday.
“The truth is the election wasn’t only stolen from me, but it was stolen from you,” he said. Let me be absolutely clear: I am NOT conceding this election.
“All available legal options are being considered, and I intend to pursue every appropriate avenue to ensure that every lawful vote was counted and every voter had a fair opportunity to participate.”
Nolan also urged anyone turned away from a polling location on Election Day or unable to vote because of machine failures to contact him “immediately.”
The Republican legislator later said that absentee ballots mailed before Election Day, affidavit ballots, and military ballots have not yet been counted.
After Westchester voters casting ballots in person in the suburban county early Tuesday saw machine scanners not working because of an alleged software glitch.
The hand-marked ballots were retained and then transported by police escort to a Board of Elections building where they were counted in front of attorneys.
During the chaos, incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Lawler — who faced off against Democratic challenger Cait Conley for the battleground 17th congressional district — said there would be “no conspiracy theory” about the election’s integrity.
“There be no question, there be no conspiracy theory, and every vote is counted. To me, that is paramount,” Lawler told reporters at a news conference in Rockland County, promising: “There’s no shenanigans here.”
Lawler was also ousted in the battleground district by Conley.
The BOE and Skipper’s campaign did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
If results in the race hold, Westchester County’s 17-seat Board of Legislators was on track to become all Democrat for the first time in history.
Conservative Party legislator Margaret Cunzio is also trailing by more than 1,900 votes behind Democrat Michael L. Peppard.
The already deeply Democratic county saw a similar blue wave to other parts of the state and country.
