Reid Holds seat on Small Margin

Nevada election officials declared incumbent Harry Reid the winner in an election race for the U.S. Senate that still could be challenged.

Trucking executives were watching the outcome closely because it determines the fate of a federal lawmaker who has tried to ban triple-trailer trucks from national highways (TT, 11-9-98, p. 1).

Mr. Reid, a Democrat, was unofficially ruled the winner Nov. 12 by 401 votes over Republican challenger Rep. John Ensign after a recount of absentee ballots that had been printed incorrectly. Mr. Reid originally held a 459-vote lead on Mr. Ensign out of 416,000 cast across the state, but the recount swung 58 votes in favor of the challenger.

The results won’t be official until reviewed by the Nevada Supreme Court Nov. 25. After that, Mr. Ensign could challenge the outcome and request a statewide recount. A spokesman for Mr. Ensign’s campaign said he had not decided whether to seek another recount.

Election officials began recounting ballots cast Nov. 3 after reports of problems with voting machines in Republican-rich Washoe County, which includes Reno. Because Mr. Ensign won by more than 2,000 votes there, Republicans hoped a recount of nearly 6,000 mail-in ballots would allow him to overtake the incumbent.

According to state election officials, the problem arose in paper absentee ballots. A column on the ballots was printed slightly out of position, making it difficult for computers to read them.

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