Elections Decided by One Vote are Rare—But Not Unheard of

Article Read time:
Projects: Election Initiatives
Elections Decided by One Vote are Rare—But Not Unheard of

Return to Election Data Dispatches.

While past research shows it is rare for elections to be decided by one vote, residents casting ballots in Missouri’s August Democratic primary for the 87th State Representative District now find themselves in just that situation. According to unofficial results, State Representative Stacey Newman defeated State Representative Susan Carlson by one ballot, 1,823 votes to 1,822.

However, the St. Louis County election board has declined to certify the results because of one small problem—102 voters were given ballots for the 83rd district not the 87th district. A court review will examine various remedies, possibly including conducting a new election.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Article June 13, 2023

37 Scientists Pioneering the Future of Biomedical Research

Quick View
Article June 13, 2023

Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.

RELATED
Tags
Election administration
Projects
Election Initiatives
Places
Missouri

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

A photo illustration of an empty defendant’s chair, indicating that the person did not show for a virtual hearing, and the plaintiff’s lawyer sitting in a chair beside it. The one person faces forward toward an iPad with a gavel. The illustration has a blue background that shows the exterior of a courthouse.

Article

September 18, 2023 Debt Collection Cases Continued to Dominate Civil Dockets
Jan Hakan Dahlstrom / Getty Images

Fact Sheet

August 31, 2023 Federal Funding for Affordable Broadband Plans Is Critical
Cityscape verlaid with a bluish translucent network of grid lines and dots. In the distance, shadowed mountains rise beneath a colorful sunset sky.

Fact Sheet

August 18, 2023 Broadband Basics: Answers to Baseline Questions

MORE FROM PEW

A man wearing a checkered, collared shirt leans in and touches the shoulder of a man in a blue collared shirt with lights in the background. The Power of Lived Experience in Suicide Prevention
A woman and her grandchildren on a sunny afternoon. Courts Can Do More to Help Families Seeking Guardianship
Sunlight streams into the blue waters of a vibrant coral reef. Yellow, black and blue, and orange fish swim near red, green and bright coral. To Save Biodiversity, Community Funds New Plan
Four yellow school buses emit smoke as they travel a road crowded with cars, construction vehicles, and scaffolding. States Race to Win Federal Clean School Bus Grants
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?