State Rep. Raul Labrador has officially won the most absentee ballots in Ada County.  Labrador spokesman Dennis Mansfield confirmed that Labrador picked up 1,854 absentee ballots to Vaughn Ward's 1,531.  Absentee ballots are typically sent in weeks before the election.

Labrador told IdahoReporter.com that he is surprised by the vote count.  “That tells me we are going to have a good night," he said.  He also said that if he prevails when vote totals are released late Tuesday night, it will be due to his record and work in the Idaho Legislature.  "If I win it will be because I've had a consistent message for four years in the Idaho Legislature, and also in this race, of fiscal discipline, about less taxes, less spending, and less regulation, and people have seen I am willing to fight for those things."

Labrador is facing Ward in the Republican primary election.  Labrador, along with Ward and many other  candidates, are mingling amongst themselves at the DoubleTree Inn in Garden City.  Several officials who ran unopposed in the primaries, including Superintendent Tom Luna, Secretary of State Ben Ysursa, and Treasurer Ron Crane, have already accepted their Republican nominations.

IdahoReporter.com will continue coverage of the elections as results roll in across the state.