Unofficial primary results: Garetano wins

In unofficial results, Dennis Garetano of Huntington Station defeated Legis. Louis D'Amaro for the Independence line in the 17th Legislative District race, after county elections officials resolved problems that delayed them from posting final totals from Tuesday night's primary.

However, D'Amaro (D-North Babylon) said that if the results stand after they are certified, he plans to challenge the outcome because of a glitch in transferring some of the electronic data from voting machines to another location for tabulation.

Only a small number of votes in some races were posted on the county's elections website Tuesday night, leaving a number of races hanging. D'Amaro also questioned the accuracy of the unofficial results, saying he had been leading Tuesday night, then was told by elections officials Wednesday morning he had lost by one set of numbers. He ended up losing by a different set of numbers.

"I've lost faith in the electronic voting system," D'Amaro said.

Garetano was unavailable for comment. Elections commissioners Anita Katz and Wayne Rogers did not return phone calls Wednesday.

In a statement Wednesday morning, Katz and Rogers said "vote tabulation machines worked impeccably, however, there was a situation with the result transfer system."

A statement on the elections website Wednesday night, though, cautioned the results are unofficial until certified in three weeks. Suffolk elections Deputy Commissioner William Ellis said only that elections officials are still investigating what went wrong.

In another race left hanging Tuesday night, Susan Sineo, of Manorville, won the Independence primary over Suffolk Legis. Kate Browning (WF-Shirley) in the 3rd Legislative District. Browning did not know if she would appeal.

In other unofficial results: Matthew Van Glad and Marlando Williams defeated Ruth Pollack for the Democratic nomination for two seats to the Riverhead town council. Pollack had led Tuesday night.

Rudolph Bruer defeated Brian Hughes for the Conservative and Independence lines for Southold Town justice. David Morris of Oakdale defeated Robert J. Curran of Bayport in a Conservative primary for Islip Fifth District Court Judge.