HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Deputy Elections Clerk Jenna Fager told Hutch Post there are still quite a few ballots outstanding from Tuesday's primary election, certainly enough to make the Republican District 1 County Commission primary too close to call. The county can still accept mailed ballots through Friday and they will be working on that.
"We'll do a report each day," Fager said. "We're going to have a board come in at 3:30 p.m. every day and process the mailed ballots. They're in here right now, processing any hand count ballots that wouldn't go through the machine and any write ins and that sort of thing, as well."
With record primary turnout of 45%, we received a message from Jenna Fager early Wednesday afternoon that there were 50 provisionals in the District 1 race.
"Our numbers will change," Fager said. "Our final totals won't be in until canvass. We're still trying to tear down our polling places and stuff like that right now."
The three current commissioners are normally the board of canvassers. The canvass is scheduled for Thursday, August 11 at 9 a.m.
"As far as I know, they are going to serve on it," Fager said. "They haven't said otherwise, so if they aren't able to serve, they will appoint somebody to fill their position in serving on the board."
If there is a tie, it will be up to that board to decide how to determine a winner. Usually, that is a coin toss. Whomever ends up behind can stage a write in campaign in November, if they so choose. James Schlickau did just that in a Reno County Commission race in 2016.