Count of absentee ballots makes little difference in Szpara-White race
Updated unofficial results from Tuesday’s primary still show Joe Szpara edging out former state lawmaker Jesse White in the contest for the Democratic nomination in the 46th Legislative District.
That result held when 96 Democratic voters’ absentee ballots from parts of the district in Washington County were included in the tally.
The race was close enough for Washington County election officials to separate that district’s absentee ballots from others so the candidates or their representatives could watch the ballots being scanned and recorded Friday.
In the end, 52 absentee Democratic voters chose White, compared to 44 for Szpara, Elections Director Larry Spahr said Friday afternoon. That outcome had little effect on Szpara’s overall lead, which was 118 votes once the absentee ballots were included.
Once the results are certified, the winner will face GOP incumbent Jason Ortitay of South Fayette in the November election.
White, a Cecil Township attorney who served as a state representative from 2006 to 2014, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment on the results.
A post Friday on his Facebook page said he wanted to “make sure every vote is counted properly, and let the chips fall where they may.”
“Nothing is final yet because the process isn’t totally finished and the results aren’t certified, but to be clear, I have no intention of doing anything to try and disrupt the process or challenge the results,” the post said.
Szpara, a transportation coordinator at an independent living facility and former business owner from Collier, noted the primary results are still unofficial, but he said the preliminary numbers are “exciting.”
“I’m looking forward to November,” he said.
White and a supporter, along with Joe Szpara’s daughter, Jennifer, and another Szpara supporter showed up Friday morning to observe the process but left before officials had an official tally in the early afternoon.
The 46th Legislative District includes parts of Allegheny County. Elections officials there included absentee ballots in the unofficial results they released when polls closed Tuesday.