Vote-By-Mail Late Arrivals Could Alter Some Broward Race Outcomes

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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - A late delivery of vote-by-mail ballots to Broward's elections headquarters could impact several races.

Elections officials said about 5,000 arrived at their Lauderhill office just before 7 p.m. on Tuesday. They are currently counting them to add to the final vote totals for the primary election.

The late arrivals could alter the results of several close races. For example, the race for 17th Judicial Court Judge, Group 8, incumbent Judge Ernest Kollra came out ahead of challenger Alan B. Schneider by a little more than 900 votes.

In the race for 17th Judicial Court Judge, Group 42, Richard Brian Kaplan topped incumbent Michael Usan by about 740 votes.

The late ballots could also affect the countywide Broward School At-Large Seat 8.

In the School Board race, incumbent Donna Korn is leading Elijah Manley and Ryan Petty.

Petty, a Parkland dad who lost his daughter in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High massacre and ran on the issue of school security, is a close second.

If Korn drops below 50 percent in the tabulation it will mean there will be a runoff election in November

Broward's Supervisor of Elections Dr. Brenda Snipes said counting the votes will take some time.

"We need to make sure it's a registered voter. You have to check the person's signature, then we delicately open the ballot, take the ballot out of the envelope and put it behind a header card so it can be tabulated in the right precinct. So there is a process to it here. I would like for it go faster but it's paper and people," she said.

Depending on the outcome of the hand vote, there could be a need for machine recount which would happen on Friday.