The post-Election Day count of provisional ballots Friday in Pennsylvania’s 41st House District race put Democrat Brad Chambers ahead of incumbent Republican Brett Miller by 30 votes.
When polls closed on Election Night, Miller held a 41-vote advantage over Chambers, 14,225 to 14,184.
After adding 139 provisional votes to the tally Friday, Chambers led the contest 14,289 to 14,259, flipping the closest legislative race in the commonwealth this year.
The Miller campaign and the Pennsylvania Republican House Campaign Committee did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday.
As many as 21 ballots in the race could still be added to the totals, not enough to overcome Chambers’ lead.
The Miller campaign could opt to pursue a recount by filing a petition in Lancaster County Court within five days of election officials completing the count of ballots. Recounts rarely change the result of an election, even in a race as tight as this one.
In Pennsylvania, automatic recounts apply only to statewide races.
On social media Friday, Chambers declared victory.
“I’m humbled to officially become your State Representative-elect for Pennsylvania’s 41st House District,” Chambers said in a Facebook post. “I want to thank every single voter who allowed me to listen to their stories, who welcomed my perspective, and who will now trust me to be their voice in Harrisburg.”
On Friday, representatives from both campaigns were at the elections office for an official review of the 175 provisional ballots cast in the 41st District’s 32 precincts. The review process prescribed by state law allows campaign or political party representatives to mount legal challenges to provisional ballots they believe should not be counted.
Ineligible voters submitted 29 of the 175 provisional ballots, and those ballots were excluded from the count without objection from either party.
Representatives from the Miller campaign and the Republican Party challenged the ballots of seven voters that were missing a required signature from poll workers.
A public hearing is set for 11:30 a.m. Thursday, during which the county Board of Elections would render a decision to uphold the challenges or dismiss them. Representatives of both political parties and campaigns would have the opportunity at the hearing to provide arguments and evidence.
Election officials were sending notifications in the mail to the affected seven voters shortly after the challenges were mounted, according to county Commissioner Alice Yoder. Those voters can also participate in the election board hearing Thursday.
The 41st District includes East and West Hempfield townships, Columbia and Mountville boroughs, and a portion of Manor Township. Democrats targeted their efforts toward flipping the House seat because municipal and school board elections have broken for Democrats in recent years.
If the vote total stands, Chambers would join a Democratic majority in the state House of at least 112 legislators out of 203. Over the past term, Democrats held a slim two-member majority in the House.
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