Two Democratic incumbents held leads in contested elections for state House districts representing Centre County early Wednesday morning, though their races had not yet been called as of 1:15 a.m. as the county worked to resolve a software issue that slowed the reporting of mail-in ballot results.
In the 77th District, state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, led Ferguson Township Republican Marie Librizzi by a margin of 58% (13,785 votes) to 42% (9,967). Conklin is seeking a 10th term representing the district, which includes State College (partial), Philipsburg and Port Matilda boroughs and Ferguson, Halfmoon, Huston, Patton, Rush, Taylor and Worth townships.
State Rep. Paul Takac, D-College Township, held a narrower lead in the 82nd District against Republican challenger Therese Hollen, of Benner Township. Takac was in front 51.7% (13,693 votes) to Hollen’s 48.3% (12,814). The incumbent is seeking a second term representing a district that includes State College (partial), Howard, Milesburg, Snow Shoe and Unionville boroughs, and Benner, Boggs, Burnside, College, Curtin, Harris, Howard, Liberty, Marion, Snow Shoe and Union townships.
According to a release from the county at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, all ballots, including mail-in ballots, have been scanned. But while election and IT staff confirmed data is being successfully exported from mail ballot scanners, the data is not being recognized by elections software when uploaded — meaning mail ballot votes had not yet been included in the county’s election results.
The county was “working with the equipment vendor to adjust configurations to make the two systems—the mail-in ballot scanner and the elections software where data are uploaded—compatible with one another,” according to the statement.
“We have not stopped working, and we will continue to work until unofficial results are posted and reported to the Pennsylvania Department of State,” County Administrator John Franek Jr. said.
According to information from the county election office, 23,668 of the 66,923 ballots cast in Centre County were mail-in ballots.
In other legislative elections, state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, ran unopposed for the 171st state House District and will return to Harrisburg for a 15th term. The 171st district covers parts of Centre and Mifflin counties. In Centre County, it includes Bellefonte, Centre Hall and Millheim boroughs and Gregg, Haines, Miles, Penn, Potter, Spring and Walker townships.
Both of the state Senate districts covering Centre County were up for election this year and both will be retained by Republican incumbents.
State Sen. Cris Dush, R-Pine Creek Township, easily won his bid for a second term in the 25th district against Clinton County Democrat William McGill. Dush outpaced the challenger 68.8% to 31.2% with 87% of votes reported. The 25th district includes eastern and central Centre County, part of Jefferson County and all of Cameron, Clinton, Elk, McKean and Potter counties.
In the 35th district, state Sen. Wayne Langerholc Jr., R-Richland Township, won a third term after running unopposed. The 35th district includes western Centre County and all of Cambria and Clearfield counties.
