Absentee Ballots Still Being Counted in Nine Florida Counties

As Florida remains the last undeclared state in the Presidential contest, ballots are still being counted in nine counties.

All precincts and early voting results are in. However, 9 counties must finish canvassing absentee ballots today, Chris Cate, spokesman for Secretary of State Ken Detzner, stated in a release.

The nine counties are Putnam, Pinellas, Palm Beach, Okaloosa, Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Escambia, Duval and Broward, according to the state Division of Elections website.

With 8,307,749 ballots counted, President Obama holds a 4,141,618 (49.85 percent) to 4,094,952 (49.29 percent) edge over Republican Mitt Romney, who conceded the national contest early Wednesday.

The 46,666 difference is slightly larger than the 43,632 votes that Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson -- a Republican when governor of New Mexico and earlier in 2012 when first running for president.

Two other races remain closely watched at this hour.

The District 18 Congressional contest, where Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy holds a 160,328 (50.39 percent) to 157,872 (49.61 percent) lead over U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens.

Florida House 29, where Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, is 37 votes behind Democrat Mike Clelland in the Sarasota County contest.

The Florida Democratic Party has proclaimed victory, but the race -- 36,749 for Clelland, 36,712 for Dorworth -- is expected to see a recount as Clelland, a lawyer and former firefighter, has noted on his Facebook page.

So the best we can say for now is, 'So far, so good,' Clelland stated.

Dorworth is in line to be the House speaker in 2014.