JAY — The race for Jay town supervisor and town council are too close to call, with only 22 votes separating incumbent Democrat Matthew Stanley from Republican newcomer Daniel Deyoe, and 26 votes separating second and third place in the four-way race for two council seats, according to unofficial election night totals.

Stanley holds a slim lead with 487 votes, 51.64% of the total. Deyoe is close behind with 465 votes, 49.31% of the total.

Republican Stephen Forbes holds a slight lead in the council race with 473 votes. Incumbent Democrat Knut Sauer is close behind with 461 votes. Democrat Robin Licari is 26 votes behind with 435 votes. Archie Depo on the independent “Peoples” line has 244 votes.

The election night totals include mail-in ballots received before Election Day. There are currently 28 mail-in ballots not counted in the total — 25 outstanding, yet to be turned in to the board; three received on Election Day but not scanned yet and one needing to be cured, according to Essex County Democratic Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Fifield.

“Cure meaning we received the ballot, but there is an issue the voter can cure if they return the cure letter and the ballot will then be counted,” Fifield said in an email.

For those 25 unreturned ballots, if they were postmarked in the mail by the end of Nov. 4 and received by the board by Nov. 12, they will be counted.

Stanley also ran on the independent “Stronger Jay” line. Deyoe also ran on the independent “Citizens” line. Licari and Sauer also ran on the independent “Vision for Jay” line. Forbes also ran on the independent “People’s Choice” line.

Because of a new state law shifting most of the elections in odd-numbered years to even-numbered years, the seats won Tuesday night will only last for three years instead of four.

Even-year elections would start next year. Because of this, four-year terms elected this year will only get a three-year term and their seats will end in 2028. This cuts their term by one-quarter.