Simmons-Deely Race In Play with 750 Votes Uncounted

Election night left state Rep. Justin Simmons looking like a winner but county officials today say the outcome of the 131st House race is not yet certain.

Hundreds of ballots are still to be counted. It's expected to take weeks to finalize the outcome.

"I'd say there are between 750 and 1,000 ballots left to count," said Lehigh County election official Tim Benyo. 

A preliminary tally without those ballots shows Simmons with a 562-vote lead.

"It's definitely too tight to call this race [for the 131st district] yet," Benyo told Patch on Wednesday morning.

Ballots still to be counted include:

• 132 provisional ballots for the 131st district
• Military ballots that may pertain to the 131st district
• More than 200 ballots from individuals who showed up to polls with no identification whatsoever. Under Act 18, voters have six days to show identification at the Lehigh County election office
• Several ballots from emergency responders that may pertain to the 131st district

Simmons, 26, of Upper Saucon Township, won the 131st seat two years ago. He graduated from St. Joseph's University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in political science. Simmons is a Southern Lehigh graduate. 

His opponent is Democrat Kevin Deely, 36, of Upper Saucon - a high school teacher and former president of the Easton Area Education Association.