Ohio special election vote count drags on, as state defends tally

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Lessons from Ohio's special election

Razor-thin margin between Republican Troy Balderson and Democrat Danny O'Connor in Ohio's 12th Congressional District; reaction and analysis from the 'Fox News @ Night' panel.

While Kansas’ tight GOP gubernatorial primary election was finally resolved Tuesday, it could be days before voters know the official result in last week's other nail-biter race: Ohio's special election for the 12th District House seat.

The district, in the suburbs of Columbus, has had a Republican representative for more than three decades. While Democrats put up a fight into the final hours, Republican state Sen. Troy Balderson is ahead in the vote count and has already declared victory over Democrat Danny O’Connor.

But the counting continues. According to local reports, when polls closed last Tuesday, Balderson had a lead of 1,754 votes. The following day, a Franklin County audit reduced that lead to 1,564.

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Secretary of State Jon Husted’s office has said the final results must be official by Aug. 24.

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Husted is meanwhile working to offer voters assurances and dispel rumors about possible “election tampering” or “voter fraud.”

“Anytime you have a close election that receives intense local and national attention, like the one we held last week for Ohio’s 12th Congressional District, there will inevitably be those who seek to sow seeds of doubt about the process and call into question how the election has been administered,” Husted said in a statement this week, maintaining that the “bipartisan county boards of elections who administered the special election did so with the professionalism that has become the standard in Ohio.”

Husted blasted those spreading rumors, noting that his office has “done a lot to clean up the voter rolls” and saying every candidate on the ballot last week “met the legal requirements and earned the right to be a candidate.”

He said he is “confident that the final vote count will be accurate and reflect the will of the voters.”

Balderson already is eyeing the general election, but O'Connor's campaign reportedly retained an attorney, signaling they are ready to fight.

President Trump also has congratulated Balderson multiple times for a “great win,” while taking a shot at Republican Gov. John Kasich, a frequent Trump critic.

“The very unpopular Governor of Ohio (and failed presidential candidate) @JohnKasich hurt Troy Balderson’s recent win by tamping down enthusiasm for an otherwise great candidate. Even Kasich’s Lt. Governor lost Gov. race because of his unpopularity. Credit to Troy on the BIG WIN!” Trump tweeted Monday.

Kasich’s Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor lost the GOP gubernatorial nomination last week to longtime Ohio politician Mike DeWine.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj and The Associated Press contributed to this report.