High turnout meant some voters had to wait in line on election day. Above, in Sherburne a steady line of several dozen residents waited about a 45 minutes to cast their ballots at the American Legion. (Photos by Tyler Murphy)

CHENANGO COUNTY – The court deciding the validity of challenged votes in the 22nd Congressional District will soon decide if the 55 unopened ballots cast by Chenango County voters, and missed by county election officials, should count in the election.

Chenango County election officials failed to keep track of the 55 votes or count them during the regular election process and missed a deadline. It is now up to Oswego County Judge Scott J. DelConte to determine how they should be handled.

Results could be determine in the coming weeks. The judge told officials Wednesday to process the votes as they should have been under the observation of representatives from the rival campaigns. They will likely meet in the next week or two and then open and count the eligible ballots, before handing any challenges back to the court. The court will then make a final decision on what will count.

Those votes, in addition to another 12, some of which may have also been mishandled by local election officials, have been drawn into question during the regular counting process.

Claudia Tenney, the district's former congresswoman and a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump said she has a 12 vote lead over Congressman Anthony Brindisi, a moderate Democrat.