The Board of Elections announced today that candidate Donovan Richards’ lead over Pesach Osina in the special City Council election for a Queens seat has widened from 26 votes to 80 ballots.

Election officials say an additional 520 absentee ballots and 121 affidavit ballots were counted. Donovan received 133 of those votes and Osina received 79.

Richards is a former chief of staff to James Sanders, who vacated the council seat to join the state Senate.

Osina has been active in the Orthodox Jewish community in Far Rockaway and has aided local recovery efforts following Hurricane Sandy.

Richards’ margin is larger than 0.5 percent of the total vote, so there will be no manual recount.

Unless the results are challenged in court, the election could be certified as soon as Tuesday.

NY1 has reached out to Osina’s camp for comment.

(Source: NY1)