Hall hopeful provisionals, pending recount will put his campaign on top
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By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
With just over 100 votes deciding the winner in Ohio's 14th District Senate race, a candidate with local ties said he is hoping the count of 600 provisional, ballots and a pending recount, will put his campaign on top.
Brown County resident Paul Hall is the unofficial second place finisher in the Republican Senate race, behind Joe Uecker, the representative for the Ohio 66th House District. They faced off with fellow Republicans Tony Adkins and Steve Purtell.
Hall represents Brown County on the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees. He told The Highland County Press on Thursday that with so few votes separating the first- and second-place finishers, he is hopeful of still being declared the official victor.
The 14th District represents Adams, Brown, Clermont and Scioto, and part of Lawrence counties.
"We're 131 votes down out of more than 40,000 cast," Hall said. "There are 600 provisional ballots left to be counted. Obviously, we will work to make sure every vote is counted, and see where we are in the next 10-15 days on a recount. There is a possibility this could turn around, and we will follow the process."
Hall is the owner of Paul Hall and Associates insurance in Mt. Orab and Blanchester. He said that he received a lot of support from voters in rural areas, but did not carry enough votes in the urban portion of Clermont County.
"In the rural parts of the district, we carried 70-some percent for our side," Hall said. "When we went into Clermont County, our goal was to go into with a 5,000-vote majority. We went in with 6,000, and carried much of Clermont County's rural area. But it was not enough to offset the blow in the urban areas. We knew it was going to be tough. We ran a very effective campaign, and when it came down too it, there was not enough to cover the Clermont County onslaught. We got our message out, and we thought we did enough to get the election."
With Uecker's margin so slim, Hall said he is confident there will be a recount.
"Down 131 votes is not where you want to be, but we're still hopeful," Hall said. "After the official count, which comes 10 days after the election but before 20 days, they will do the official count. If it is within one half of one percent there will be a recount in the following two weeks. We're talking 30-45 days before we get that final number."
With just over 100 votes deciding the winner in Ohio's 14th District Senate race, a candidate with local ties said he is hoping the count of 600 provisional, ballots and a pending recount, will put his campaign on top.
Brown County resident Paul Hall is the unofficial second place finisher in the Republican Senate race, behind Joe Uecker, the representative for the Ohio 66th House District. They faced off with fellow Republicans Tony Adkins and Steve Purtell.
Hall represents Brown County on the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees. He told The Highland County Press on Thursday that with so few votes separating the first- and second-place finishers, he is hopeful of still being declared the official victor.
[[In-content Ad]]The 14th District represents Adams, Brown, Clermont and Scioto, and part of Lawrence counties.
"We're 131 votes down out of more than 40,000 cast," Hall said. "There are 600 provisional ballots left to be counted. Obviously, we will work to make sure every vote is counted, and see where we are in the next 10-15 days on a recount. There is a possibility this could turn around, and we will follow the process."
Hall is the owner of Paul Hall and Associates insurance in Mt. Orab and Blanchester. He said that he received a lot of support from voters in rural areas, but did not carry enough votes in the urban portion of Clermont County.
"In the rural parts of the district, we carried 70-some percent for our side," Hall said. "When we went into Clermont County, our goal was to go into with a 5,000-vote majority. We went in with 6,000, and carried much of Clermont County's rural area. But it was not enough to offset the blow in the urban areas. We knew it was going to be tough. We ran a very effective campaign, and when it came down to it, there was not enough to cover the Clermont County onslaught. We got our message out, and we thought we did enough to get the election."
With Uecker's margin so slim, Hall said he is confident there will be a recount.
"Down 131 votes is not where you want to be, but we're still hopeful," Hall said. "After the official count, which comes 10 days after the election but before 20 days, they will do the official count. If it is within one half of one percent there will be a recount in the following two weeks. We're talking 30-45 days before we get that final number."