DaytonDailyNews.com

TROY — Uncounted provisional ballots from Tuesday's election could play roles in the outcome of a tied race in Miami County's Brown Twp. and a close Troy 3rd Ward City Council battle, election officials said Wednesday.

Provisional ballots will be verified by elections staff in the next few days, but cannot be counted for 10 days.

In Brown Twp. in northeast Miami County one provisional vote was cast in the race for township fiscal officer. That race ended up in a tie between Art Bowser and Victoria Pryfogle following Tuesday night's unofficial count.

In Troy's 3rd Ward, 15 provisional ballots were cast in the race between Democrat Jack Bell and Republican John Schweser. Unofficial totals from Tuesday's balloting had Schweser with 458 votes, Bell with 448.

Those 15 ballots "could make a difference," particularly in qualifying the race for a recount, Elections Director Steve Quillen said Wednesday.

An automatic recount at first was mentioned Tuesday night for the race, but Quillen later said a look at the final unofficial count eliminated that possibility. A vote margin of less than the one-half of 1 percent is required for an automatic recount.

The Brown Twp. provisional ballot was by a voter who forgot to bring required identification to the polls. The ballot can be counted if she provides identification to the elections office within 10 days, Quillen said.

Whether the one vote is for Bowser or Pryfogle, the race is headed for an automatic recount.

Candidates can request a recount at a cost of $50 per precinct counted. No recount requests have been filed.

A date for the final vote certification meeting had not been set Wednesday, but elections staff said it could be held before Thanksgiving.

Contact this reporter at (937) 335-4357 or nbowman@DaytonDailyNews.com.