RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 23 (UPI) -- An inspection of ballots in North Carolina's 8th Congressional District will determine if a full recount is required in a race divided by 179 votes.
Democratic challenger Larry Kissell trailed four-term Republican Rep. Robin Hayes by 329 votes after the Nov. 7 election, but a count of provisional ballots and a machine recount that ended Wednesday found Hayes' margin fell by about 150 votes, the New York Times reported Thursday.
Johnnie McLean, the chief deputy director of North Carolina's board of elections, said ballots in 3 percent of the precincts will be inspected by elections officials Nov. 29 and Nov. 30. A district-wide manual recount will be ordered if the sampling reveals a statistical inconsistency, McLean said.
In the campaign, Hayes raised $2.1 million to Kissell's $451,000. Kissell spent it all but $35, the newspaper said.
