After trailing by 11,123 votes on Election Night, the Republican has now seen his deficit reduced to 5,117 votes

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’ lead in the Third Congressional District race has been cut in half.

The Democrat from Skamania County held an 11,123-vote lead on Election Night over Republican Joe Kent. On Friday afternoon, however, Perez lead was just 5,117 votes. According to the latest results in the race, released by the Secretary of State’s office at 2:07 p.m. Friday (Nov. 11), Perez had 50.68 percent of the votes and Kent had 48.75 percent.

“Since I last wrote you, counting has continued and our 11,000 vote deficit is now a 5500 vote deficit,’’ Kent wrote to supporters Friday morning. “We’ve also discovered 6500 ballots that have been rejected so far that could potentially make up this deficit if we can get to these voters and remind them to ‘cure’ their ballots. We are currently pursuing these voters with door knockers, live phone calls, and text messages.’’

Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey told Clark County Today Friday that he believes there are about 45,000 ballots left to be counted in Clark County, the largest of the seven counties that make up the Third Congressional District. Kimsey estimated that his office would have the remaining ballots counted by Monday. 

Kent continued to ask his supporters to make sure they’re going to the Washington GOV site to make sure that their vote has actually been counted. Kent also urged his supporters to check and see if their ballots have been rejected and need to be cured.

“You can go through, you can see the screenshots of what’s supposed to happen because ballot curing might become very critical in this,’’ Kent said earlier this week. “We can cure ballots up until the 28th. So that’s the important thing. Check that site right now.’’

The Third Congressional District includes six entire counties – Clark, Skamania, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific and Wahkiakum – and also part of Thurston County. 

Updated election results

Clark County Today will continue to report on updated election results. For updated results in Clark County, go to ClarkVotes.com. For Washington statewide election results, including federal races such as the Third Congressional District, go to VoteWA.gov. For state of Oregon results, go to OregonVotes.gov.