RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Latest on a special election in Virginia (all times local):
7 p.m.
The state’s top elections official says not enough ballots were printed in Lynchburg for the 22nd District state Senate race.
Edgardo Cortes, commissioner of the Virginia Department of Elections, says his department became aware of the issue early Tuesday and has been working with local officials on distributing emergency ballots, which are printed on plain paper and will have to be hand-counted.
Cortes says officials are still trying to determine whether anyone was unable to vote because of the problem.
He says the issue will likely delay the reporting of results from Lynchburg.
Cortes says no other locality has reported any issues.
Voters are picking two new state senators and one member of the House of Delegates to replace the three state lawmakers who were elected to Congress in November.
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4:45 p.m.
Some Lynchburg-area residents who tried to vote in the 22nd Senate District special election have reported polling places running out of ballots and requesting the delivery of extras.
The News & Advance (http://bit.ly/2jfT00F ) reported Tuesday that at least two precincts had run out of ballots. Voters at one precinct stood in line waiting for a delivery for more to arrive, and some people told the paper voters had left without voting because of the delay.
One precinct’s election chief told the newspaper more people than anticipated had shown up to vote.
Neither Lynchburg registrar Karen Patterson nor a spokeswoman for the state Board of Elections could immediately be reached for comment by The Associated Press.
The election is being held to replace Republican Tom Garrett, who was elected to Congress in November. Republican Mark Peake, Democrat Ryant Washington and independent Joe Hines are competing for the seat.
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2 a.m.
Virginia voters are picking two state senators in a special election that could effectively hand control of that chamber from Republicans to Democrats.
Tuesday’s elections in the 9th and 22nd Senate districts are being held to replace a Republican and Democrat who were elected to Congress.
If Democrats win both, they would effectively gain Senate control because of Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam’s status as a tiebreaker.
In the more closely watched race, a Republican, Democrat and conservative independent are competing for the Republican-leaning 22nd District.
Democrats are expected to easily win the heavily blue 9th District, in which Republicans didn’t field a candidate.
A Virginia Beach House seat is also up for grabs, though the outcome won’t affect Republicans’ solid majority in that chamber.
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