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Seminole works to settle Dorworth, Clelland vote count

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County has started the process of going through 1,800 provisional ballots cast in Tuesday's election.

About a third of those ballots are of particular interest to the two candidates who ran for the Florida House District 29 seat.

"You've got candidates that have been campaigning for months and months and months. Now this is it, this is the culmination of all of it," said Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Mike Ertel.

After the counting was finished Tuesday night former Longwood firefighter Mike Clelland had 37 more votes than Chris Dorworth.

Late Thursday night, as the counting of provisional ballots continued, Democrat Clelland's lead had jumped to 123 votes.

Dorworth is the powerful Republican from Lake Mary who has held his seat since 2007 and was set to become speaker of the house.

"This is a very, very close race. It is tighter than a rusty screw. It's great, being that close," said Ertel.

Because the margin is within one-half of 1 percent, a machine recount was ordered for each of the 74,000 plus ballots.

After the recount, if the race is even closer, one-quarter of 1 percent, then another recount will be done. The second recount would be done by hand.

WFTV has a crew at the Seminole County supervisor of elections office and will update this story as more information becomes available.