Absentee and affidavit votes were investigated, questioned and tallied on Tuesday in Poughkeepsie. With a few votes left to count Wednesday morning, mathematically, John Tkazyik is poised to spend another four years in city hall. Our John Wagner has the story.

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POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- After a hard fought campaign, Mayor John Tkazyik and challenger Ken Levinson sit across the table from each other for eight hours, examining every absentee ballot from the first seven wards of the city.

"The only ward we have left is the eighth ward, which is heavily Republican," said Republican elections commissioner Erik Haight. "[It's] almost impossible for John Tkazyik to lose the mayor's race at this point."

"We'll seal the deal with the eighth ward and we look forward to getting back to work in city hall," said Mayor John Tkazyik.

In a city of 30,000 residents, 59 ballots have been challenged, 69 are left to count in the eighth ward and Tkazyik is winning by 75 votes.

"It appears either way it goes, it's pretty much a tossup and I think that speaks volumes about the people wanting change," said Ken Levinson. "And about me coming into this election virtually unknown and gathering as much support as I have."

Levinson says he will accept the final vote count without a court battle. In the common council, Democrats won at least six out of eight seats, with the eighth ward still up for grabs.

Levinson says the Democrat message resonated with voters.

"More focus on youth, they want focus on crime, they want better management, they want open and equal government," he said.

But those on the other side of the aisle disagree on the voter's perspective.

"I can't possibly think of how Levinson could spin this as any kind of a victory at all," said Haight. "The enrollment is so heavily against a Republican candidate, yet Tkazyik has the appeal for Democratic voters to vote for him because he's done a good job as mayor."

Mayor Tkazyik says he's excited to have another term to continue building on the progress the city has made.

“I've had the history of reaching across the aisle to get things done and make things happen in the City of Poughkeepsie. And that's exactly what I'll do again over the next four years," Tkazyik said.