Republicans, Democrats pleased with vote count

The final results are expected to be announced Monday.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Democrats and Republicans watching over a count of ballots held over from Election Day because of voter identification problems said they have found no reason to challenge the tally so far.
Election workers have spent the week reviewing about 38,500 absentee and provisional ballots. About 500 have been rejected because they were cast by ineligible voters, said Franklin County Elections Director Matt Damschroder.
The official, final tally is expected to be announced Monday, along with the winner of the 15th Congressional District, where incumbent U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, a member of the House Republican leadership, has a lead of 3,717 votes over Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy in ballots counted so far.
About 19,500 absentee and provisional ballots from Franklin County are being counted in that race.
A conflict over voter ID arose Election Day when poll workers did not allow some voters with proper ID to cast regular ballots, instead forcing them to cast provisional ballots.
Agreement
Under an agreement with state officials, approved by U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley, provisional ballots cast in error can be counted.
The agreement also allows observers -- including members of the Republican and Democratic parties -- to oversee, but not interfere with, county elections workers as they review provisional ballots and determine whether they're eligible to be counted.
"They make every effort to make every vote count," said Kate Douthett of the Ohio Republican Party.
Leah Reibel, an observer for Ohio Democrats, said the canvass appeared to be going smoothly.
The count actually began last Saturday even though elections officials previously indicated that they intended to delay it one day because of the Ohio State-Michigan football game.