Dallas City News

After waiting more than four months with no closure, Jamie Walsh is holding a victory party Friday to celebrate his April 23 primary election Republican nomination for state representative in the 117th District.

Walsh has an unofficial five-vote lead over incumbent Mike Cabell, and Cabell could not mathematically overcome that difference because there are only two provisional ballots not yet processed due to a pending state Supreme Court decision.

“I wanted to have a celebration but held off, thinking he would concede, but it’s getting later and later,” Walsh said Monday. “My volunteers deserve to have a victory party and recognition.”

Cabell could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.

Due to court challenges, the April 23 primary election vote tallies in the 117th District were not certified with others in Luzerne County.

Once the state Supreme Court decision is issued, the county Election Board must publicly meet to comply with its directive, which could be processing one, both or neither provisional ballot. A board certification vote also would be necessary to make the 117th District results official.

Walsh had appealed to the state Supreme Court seeking reversal of a Commonwealth Court decision granting Cabell’s request to reject Lake Township voter Timothy J. Wagner’s ballot and accept a Butler Township ballot cast by Cabell’s cousin, Shane O’Donnell.

Wagner did not sign the outer envelope twice, and O’Donnell’s ballot involves a residency question.

All legal briefs were filed by Aug. 7.

Walsh said he has been regularly contacting the state Supreme Court seeking a status and has been informed the case remains on an expedited schedule.

The county must issue Nov. 5 general election absentee ballots to military service members by Sept. 21, which is now less than two weeks away, the election bureau said. This issuance deadline also applies to registered voters who are studying or working abroad.

Walsh said he is approached regularly by citizens asking what is happening in the race.

He recently shared a social media post from April that had urged Cabell to concede and another featuring a photograph with his son wearing a “Jamie Walsh State Representative” baseball cap.

“I’m patiently waiting for the ruling from the Supreme Court, but in the meantime I’m working every single day for other candidates to help them get elected in Luzerne County,” Walsh said Monday.

Walsh said he would be aggressively campaigning for himself if he faced competition in the general election.

No Democratic contenders sought that party’s nomination in the primary, and the election bureau did not receive notification of any write-in campaigns, the bureau said.

Friday’s victory party for Walsh supporters requires an RSVP and will include food, drinks and entertainment.

“Come out to FINALLY be able to celebrate Jamie Walsh becoming the new state representative for the 117th district of PA!” the invitation said.

According to the unofficial results, Walsh received 4,735 votes, compared to 4,730 for Cabell.

Cabell had issued a statement in July indicating he was considering a petition seeking a recount “to ensure every vote is accurately counted and every voice is heard.” He did not subsequently announce a recount plan.

Cabell had said his campaign “remains steadfast in pursuing a fair and accurate election result.”

The 117th District includes all or part of Conyngham, Dallas, Freeland, Harveys Lake, Jeddo, Nescopeck, New Columbus, Nuangola, Penn Lake Park, Shickshinny and White Haven boroughs and the townships of Black Creek, Butler, Conyngham, Dennison, Dorrance, Fairmount, Foster, Hollenback, Hunlock, Huntington, Lake, Lehman, Nescopeck, Ross, Salem, Slocum, Sugarloaf and Union, according to the election bureau.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.