UPDATED: Final Results in for Special Election, Anker Wins By 171 Votes

Final results for the Special Election for the Sixth District Seat in the Suffolk County Legislature were certified by the Suffolk County Board of Elections Tuesday and have Sarah Anker, D-Mt. Sinai, beating Martin Haley, R-Miller Place, 3,578-3,407.

Democrats accounted for 3,206 (45.90 percent) of Anker's votes while 372 (5.33) came from the Working Families party. Haley earned 2,317 (33.17) from Republicans, 830 (11.88) from the Conservative party and 260 (3.72) from Independents. The election garnered just 6,985 of a possible 54,479 possible votes, 12.82 percent of the district.

Anker, a Democrat, will take over a historically Republican seat that was vacated by Assemblyman Dan LoSquadro, R-Shoreham, in January.

"We're thrilled," said Richard Schaffer, Chairperson of the Suffolk County Democratic Party. "She was an outstanding candidate and organized labor played a big role in helping her get her message out, so we're excited about her taking the seat sometime next week."

Anker said she will leave her position as Director of the Town of Brookhaven Office of Energy and Sustainability the day before she is set to be sworn in, which is expected to be immediately after election results are certified next week.

"It feels really good," Anker said of her victory. "I’m very appreciative of the support, the volunteer and financial support, and the voting support. It was a tough run and I was the underdog but it’s a wonderful feeling. It feels great to be able to know that all the hard work I put in has basically paid off."

Anker likens her new position to her 25 years of past community volunteer work.

"To me it’s really no different than what I was doing as a volunteer with the civic," she said. "The more involved situation will be working on the financial end and having the fiscal responsibility, really understanding what the county is doing and making sure it’s restrained in its financial pursuit.

"[We need to] save the jobs that are here. Unions are under attack, Brookhaven National Laboratory may have funding reduced, so that will be a huge focus for me."

While Anker will take over next week, her campaign road has not ended as she will have to run again for re-election in November after a short term in the legislature.

"I’m going to run again, absolutely," Anker said. "If I had not won I probably would not have run again in November. We’ll just keep going, moving along. I enjoyed campaigning the seven weeks and will hopefully keep some of the support locally and I’ll do what I can to earn that support."