Conservative primary results expected in two weeks

Results in the Conservative Party primary in the 4th Congressional District, where a write-in candidate outpolled party designee Francis Becker Jr., are expected to be certified the week of July 9, election officials said Wednesday.

Manhattan attorney Frank Scaturro, of Hempstead, staged a write-in campaign in the primary. Unofficial county Board of Elections tallies list the unnamed write-in candidate with 253 votes to Becker's 194 in the Conservative primary.

Democratic Elections Commissioner William Biamonte said the high proportion of write-ins in the contest primary represented "new territory."

Another 62 absentee ballots were sent out and Biamonte said he expects them to follow the pattern. The deadline for return of absentee ballots is Tuesday.

In the Republican primary, Becker got 6,357 votes to Scaturro's 5,175 -- a 55 percent to 45 percent margin. Biamonte said he expects final certification of both the Conservative and GOP votes to be complete by the week after next.

Scaturro, 39, who two years ago ran unsuccessfully to challenge incumbent Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), could not be reached Wednesday.

Becker, a Republican Nassau County legislator from Lynbrook, said he plans to reach out to Scaturro for his support.

"It's time for us to come together and work to defeat Carolyn McCarthy," Becker said.