ELIZABETHTOWN — Kristy L. Sprague has officially prevailed in the race for Essex County district attorney.

A final, official count of absentee ballots Monday gave the win to Sprague by 125 votes against incumbent DA Julie Garcia.

Running on the Republican and independent lines, Sprague won on Election Day by a margin of 75 votes — 6,053 to 5,978 — over Garcia, who ran as a Democrat.

The Essex County Board of Elections had 858 absentee ballots to count, and both candidates picked up votes over three days of closely watched ballot tabulation.

County Democratic Election Commissioner David Mace and Acting Republican Commissioner Patti Doyle counted the 266 permanent absentee ballots Thursday and Friday and the remaining one-time absentee ballots all day Monday.

Lawyers from both camps monitored the absentee count. At about 4 p.m. Monday, the count concluded, and Garcia’s counsel, James Long, admitted defeat.

“I consent and withdraw the applications I have” to challenge ballots, Long said.

The impoundment of all the ballots in the election was then lifted. About 15 absentee ballots had been set aside after challenges from Long and Sprague’s attorney, Paul DerOhannesian II.

The County Board of Elections said it won’t release the official figures for more than a week.

‘POSITIVE CHANGES’

Sprague was elated and hugged family members who sat with her in the county’s old modular jail while ballots were counted.

“I’m just looking forward to getting this behind us and starting the New Year as district attorney,” Sprague said. “I want to bring positive changes to the county and be a hands-on prosecutor.”

She said she was appreciative of all the support she received.

“I want to thank my family and all my supporters and especially all voters who took the time to exercise their right to vote. I think this is a good lesson for everyone — every vote counts.”