The Democratic candidates in still too-close-to-call races have a slight edge in the absentee ballot count, a sign that the chamber could be within in reach of the minority conference.

Democrat Terry Gipson the in the Poughkeepsie-area race leads by 1,603 votes over Republican Sen. Stephen Saland.

There are 7,543 ballots that have been returned out of 9,746 requested in both Dutchess and Putnam counties.

For now, Gipson has a slight edge in the returned ballots, based on party break down: 2,861 Democratic versus 2,624 Republican.

There are also 2,058 ballots sent to independents.

With Conservative Party candidate Neil DiCarlo also in the running, Saland will have to get at least 60 percent of the absentee count. It’s not insurmountable, but it’s tough.

Meanwhile, in the newly created 46th Senate District ni the Mohawk Valley, where Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk has a 139-vote lead, more Democratic ballots have come in so far.

While that race is much closer, Democrats are buoyed by the 3,205 absentee ballots coming from Ulster County — a Democratic stronghold in that district that went heavily for Tkaczyk on Tuesday — out 8,850 returned.

Several caveats apply: Republicans conduct aggressive absentee ballot programs. Saland benefited from that in September, when the ballot count edged him over the top against DiCarlo. These numbers will also likely change on a daily basis as more ballots come in.

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