Bryan Shupe Election Audit

GEORGETOWN, DE - Delaware’s 36th District Representative Bryan Shupe says he has confirmed his victory in the District’s Republican Primary following an audit of election results.

The audit comes after a 12-vote margin separated Shupe from his challenger, Patrick Smith, sparking calls for scrutiny. Earlier in September, Smith told WBOC he would be requesting a thorough review of both physical and absentee ballots, despite the Delaware Department of Elections saying there would be no recount. 

Shupe previously said he learned an audit was only possible if requested by a sitting legislator and made the request.

Shupe says that audit took place on Friday, September 27th and confirmed there were 81 absentee votes for him and 33 for Smith. Shupe’s narrow 12-vote victory has been listed as official on the Delaware Department of Elections website.

“Thank you to the Department of Elections for being transparent with the ballots and allowing myself and representation from our opponent to review the ballots,” Shupe said in a statement Monday. “It was also confirmed that all the ballots came in before the deadline of 8pm on election day and that they were recorded online for the public to view in the total count tally at 11:31pm on election night.”

Smith did not appear at the audit, according to Shupe.

Shupe will now face Democrat Rony J. Baltazar-Lopez in the race for the 36th district’s state representative seat in November’s general election on November 5th.