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Just one Pennsylvania House race remains too close to call
The outcome of the 41st District race will not affect state House control — Democrats have already secured at least a 12-seat majority.
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HARRISBURG — Democrats will add to their majority in the Pennsylvania House next year, but it’s still unclear by how much.
In Lancaster County’s 41st House District, Democrat Brad Chambers leads incumbent Republican state Rep. Brett Miller by 30 votes. That tally includes unchallenged provisional, military, and overseas ballots that were added to the county’s election website Friday afternoon.
Seven provisional ballots were challenged and held from that total, according to a county spokesperson. There are also 14 outstanding overseas and military ballots that have until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to reach the elections office.
The outcome of the 41st District race will not affect control of the state House. The Associated Press has called 111 races for the Democrats, while Democratic candidates in two other competitive races — in the 143rd and 147th Districts — have declared victory. That would give the party 113 seats in the 203-member chamber.
The AP has also not called the race in the 12th House District. However, the Democratic incumbent there, Brandon Dukes, has conceded.
The Lancaster County Board of Elections will meet next Thursday to hear challenges to provisional ballots from the candidates and political parties. After the board issues a determination in each case, challengers have another two days after that to appeal those decisions to the Court of Common Pleas.
There is a path to a recount in the 41st District. According to the Department of State, it would require three constituents to file a petition challenging the results of their home voting precinct with the Court of Common Pleas. Those petitions each cost $50.
With Chambers leading by 30 votes, the House Democratic Campaign Committee declared victory in a social media post. Chambers did not do the same in a statement Friday, saying instead, “While we await the final votes to be tallied into next week, we feel confident that the current tabulations are in our favor.”
Miller’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Pennsylvania Democrats are already celebrating this year’s election results. The party flipped the state Senate for the first time in decades, and with gains in the House and the reelection of Gov. Josh Shapiro, the party will hold a trifecta in Harrisburg.
That power will allow Democrats to pursue a number of policy priorities they say Republicans have stalled, like raising the minimum wage, increasing funding for mass transit, and codifying abortion access.
House Democrats will hold leadership elections on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson.
Spotlight PA’s Kate Huangpu contributed reporting.
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