Just 49 votes shy of Democratic challenger Gina Calanni, Republican Mike Schofield is teetering to lose his Texas House of Representatives District 132 seat, which covers portions of Katy and Cypress.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Schofield has 32,629 votes, or 49.14 percent, while Calanni has 32,678 votes, or 49.21 percent, according to election results posted on the Harris County Clerk's website. Libertarian Daniel Arevalo received 1,097 votes, or 1.65 percent.
Schofield is still in the running as of 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 7. A spokesperson said that he is waiting for the mail-in ballots to be counted before taking any action, whether that be conceding or asking for a recount. A runoff election does not occur during general elections, only for primaries, the spokesperson said.
However, both the
Texas Tribune and
Dallas Morning News are reporting that Calanni has ousted Schofield. C
ommunity Impact Newspaper reached out for comment from Calanni, but a representative from her campaign was not immediately available.
It will take several days before these final ballots will be tallied and made official. The canvass, which finalizes voting results, must be held between Nov. 9 and Nov. 20,
according to a memo from the Texas Secretary of State. Between now and then, election offices will receive and count:
- Ballots placed in the mail on Election Day and received by Nov. 7 that are from non-military voters voting from within the U.S.
- Ballots placed in the mail on Election Day and received by Nov. 13 that are from non-military voters who are voting outside the U.S.
- Ballots placed in the mail on Election Day and received by Nov. 13 that are from military voters, merchant marines and their spouses or dependents who are voting outside the U.S.
- Provisional ballots, or ballots in which elections officials must determine if a voter is eligible to vote, which must be verified by Nov. 19.
Schofield or Calanni can request a recount if the difference among the total votes between the two candidates is less than 10 percent than the number of total votes by the apparent winner,
per the SOS. The deadline to file a recount is either after the fifth day after election day or the second day after the canvass, whichever is later.
If a candidate wants to challenge the results of the recount, that process goes to the judiciary branch rather than remain with the clerk’s office, said Hector Deleon, the director of communications for the Harris County Clerk Office.
Schofield has served two consecutive terms as the as the representative for District 132. If Calanni is the official winner, this will be her first elected political position.
Click here to read Q&As with both candidates.
