A closely contested Georgia House race has taken a dramatic turn after election officials discovered uncounted votes on a missing memory card, reversing the apparent outcome and triggering a state investigation.
Republican Gerald Greene, who initially trailed Democrat Harry James by just 58 votes, now holds a 262-vote lead following the discovery of previously uncounted ballots in Seminole County.
The unexpected development could have significant consequences for control of the Georgia House of Representatives, where Democrats are facing the possibility of holding their majority by just a single seat.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has launched an investigation into the discrepancy.
The controversy emerged after election officials conducted routine checks of the vote totals following Tuesday’s midterm elections.
During those checks, authorities reportedly identified a discrepancy involving 388 votes in Seminole County.
Investigators subsequently discovered that votes associated with a missing memory card had not been included in the initial count.
Once the additional votes were incorporated, the numbers shifted dramatically.
Greene, who had appeared to be narrowly losing the election, suddenly moved ahead of his Democratic opponent.
The Republican candidate went from trailing by 58 votes to leading by 262 — a 320-vote swing in the race’s margin.
The reversal has placed new attention on the procedures used to collect, transfer and verify election results.
It has also raised questions about how the missing memory card went undetected during the initial tabulation.
Authorities have not yet provided a complete explanation of what caused the error or why the affected votes were omitted.
The information released so far also does not establish that the discrepancy resulted from deliberate misconduct.
Nevertheless, the discovery illustrates how even a relatively small number of uncounted ballots can change the apparent outcome of an extremely close election.
And in Georgia, the political implications extend beyond a single legislative district.
According to the latest account, if Greene’s lead holds, Democrats would retain control of the Georgia House by only one seat.
Such a narrow majority would leave little room for defections or disagreements within the party when lawmakers consider legislation.
It would also give individual legislators considerable influence over closely divided votes.
The possibility of a one-seat Democratic majority makes the accuracy of the disputed election results especially consequential.
However, Greene’s newly reported advantage does not mean the final outcome is necessarily settled.
Election officials must still complete the applicable verification procedures before the result can be considered final.
Raffensperger’s investigation will also seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the missing memory card and the discrepancy detected during the routine checks.
The case comes amid heightened attention to election administration following the November 3 midterms, when closely contested races in several states left candidates waiting for final results.
For Greene, the discovery has transformed the situation from an apparent narrow defeat into a potential Republican victory.
For James, the revised count means his previously reported lead has disappeared.
Neither candidate’s broader response to the discovery was included in the initial account.
The investigation now centers on how the votes were omitted and whether additional reviews uncover further problems.
Until those questions are resolved, the contest remains an example of how post-election verification can materially change reported results.
What began as a 58-vote Democratic advantage has become a 262-vote Republican lead, with control of Georgia’s legislative agenda potentially resting on the outcome.
And with the secretary of state investigating the error, the missing memory card has become one of the most consequential developments in the state’s closely watched House elections.
