Despite reports that Democrat Owens is in the lead in the NY-23 race over the conservative Hoffman, two factors mean the race might not be called tonight: 10,000 absentee ballots were sent out, and about 5,800 were returned. (Many of those votes could be for Scozzafava, who dropped out very recently. Those votes will benefit Owens.) Additionally, according to this report, there were some voting machine malfunctions in Fulton County, and there was a switch to paper ballots—ballots which have not been counted. The voting machines have been impounded.
I am sure upstate NY officials are now muttering the election administrator’s prayer, hoping that Hoffman concedes to avoid the scrutiny that will come if it remains so close.
UPDATE: Election administrator’s prayer answered as Hoffman concedes.