The Butler County elections board is deliberating on two contested provisional ballots that could determine the outcome of who will receive the second Republican nomination for county commissioner.

Kim Geyer entered the day with a one-vote lead on Bob O’Neill.

A hearing for 13 previously contested ballots began at 9 a.m. today.

Both Geyer and O’Neill agreed that eight of those ballots should be withdrawn following an investigation, while three more should be counted.

However, O’Neill argued for the remaining two ballots to be counted, but Geyer opposed that.

One of those ballots was cast by a Brady Township woman who allegedly changed her party registration from Democrat to Republican in March.

However, the elections bureau has no record of the change.

The second contested ballot comes from an 18-year-old Cranberry Township man who registered to vote for the first time. However, the elections bureau did not have that record for the May 19 primary.

Both of the individuals with contested ballots filled out their voter status forms at fundraising tables for O’Neill, and both of their applications were allegedly taken to the elections bureau by O’Neill or his wife.

The elections board will reconvene this afternoon.

Both Geyer and O’Neill have the ability to appeal the elections board’s decision to court.

The three ballots that were approved by both parties will be counted.