Judge: Count Provisional Ballots in Ohio Race

A federal judge ordered over 27,000 provisional ballots to be counted in the yet-to-be-called race in Ohio’s 15th congressional district.

District Court judge Algenon Marbley granted a request by the campaign of Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy to count the ballots, a decision which Republican Steve Stivers immediately appealed, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

Stivers leads Kilroy by 479 votes in the race, which was one of the most hotly-contested House races this election cycle. Democrats hope to take the seat over from Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce, who is retiring.

“Since election night, and with well over 15,000 additional votes counted, Stivers has never trailed in this race,” Stivers spokesman Rob Nichols told the Dispatch.

–Michael O’Brien