TROY – The Rensselaer County Board of Elections will begin counting absentee ballots Monday to determine the outcome in several close races.

In the county executive's race, Assemblyman Steven McLaughlin, R-Troy, leads his Democratic opponent Andrea Smyth of Rensselaer by 909 votes -- or 19,685 to 18,776, according to unofficial results. McLaughlin declared victory Tuesday night, while Smyth and the Democrats said they will wait to see the outcome of the absentee votes.