The Republican race for Orange County Precinct 2 commissioner won’t be over until Wednesday afternoon when the mail arrives at the Orange County Courthouse.
“I might get one in, I might get 100 in,” said Orange County Elections Administrator Tina Barrow.
A new state law requires mail-in ballots be counted if they are received by 5 p.m. the day after the election. The law changed this past December, Barrow said.
The Republican primary election Tuesday night ended with challenger Theresa Adams Beauchamp four votes ahead of incumbent Barry Burton. Beauchamp had 1,038 votes with Burton at 1,034.
Barrow said the mail will arrive about 1 or 2 p.m. Wednesday. Employees in the elections office will bring the mail to the office. Any mail-in ballots must be verified by registration and signatures, and then will be run through the automated counter.
After the final results, any recount of ballots in the race will have to be requested by either the county Republican chair or one of the candidates. The request for a recount has been made.
The Republican nominee for the position will face Democrat Deborah Mitchell in the November general election.
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