MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — With just 26 votes between them, two candidates hoping to represent the 51st District House of Delegates, were at Monongalia County election headquarters to determine if canvassing the ballots to certify the election might change the outcome.
According to unofficial numbers from the Nov. 8 General Election, Democrat Rodney Pyles picked up 12,919 while Democrat Evan Hansen received 12,893 votes.
Voters in the 51st District choose 5 candidates to represent them in the state legislature.
Pyles came with the 5th most votes.
Monday the Monongalia County Clerk and Monongalia County Commission, which serves as the canvassing board that certifies results,
reviewed several hundred absentee ballots and provisional ballots that had been recorded although at the time there’d been question about the voter’s eligibility.
Upon completion Monday afternoon, Pyles, former Monongalia County Assessor, gained another 11 votes taking his lead over Hansen, first-time candidate, to 37.
Commission must wait 72 hours to certify the results. A meeting is scheduled for Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m.