With Election Day 2009 just four days away, some can't wait for it to be over. For others, there is a thought that 2009 was tame when compared to other years. What seems to be clear is that voter turnout may be lower this year because of fewer high profile races, but more important than ever.

A slight uptick in the number of voters voting or stay at homes, may make all the difference locally. There are seven competitive races that people are paying attention to - in almost all of them, from conversations with political leaders and observers - there is a thought that a majority may come down to absentee ballots.

In the case of both the Owasco (incumbent John Klink versus fellow town board member Ed Wagner) and Sennett (town board member Jeff Herrick versus deputy town clerk Thomas Gray) supervisor races - attention may never have been so great. In Owasco, which came down to a handful of absentee ballots last time around, some are looking to see if this will be a squeaker again or will one side get an overwhelming mandate to lead. In Sennett, there have been charges of anonymous nasty mailings and lingering bad blood from the September GOP primary, any of which, could tip the results one way or the other.

There are also the four competitive races for Cayuga County Legislature: District 5 (a three-way race between Phil Dello Stritto, Paul Pinckney and Paul Schenck); 7 (incumbent George Fearon versus Barbara Abbott King); 11 (incumbent Linda Murphy and challenger Steve Barski); and District 13 (former city councilor Jim Hutchinson versus former Auburn mayor Timothy C. Lattimore). While it may be that all four might not come down to absentee ballots, races in three of these districts have in the past. In the fourth, the three way race for the 5th Legislative District, that includes Aurelius and Fleming, several political leaders are calling the race to succeed County legislator Raymond Lockwood too close to call.

Finally there is the race for city council (incumbents William Graney and Matt Smith challenged by newcomer Jack Hardy) that will see at a minimum, one incumbent returned to the council. With both incumbents considered friendly allies of different parties, there are questions about cross party voting by their supporters as well as bullet voting (for just one candidate, strengthening that person's chances).

This year might be one in which Election Day is not the day when the majority of winners are finally known. It may be days later, when absentee ballots are counted.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com