LISBON - A total of 271 uncounted ballots will be added to the mix with those votes cast election day, possibly altering the outcome of four close races.

The Columbiana County Board of Elections on Tuesday ruled that 271 provisional ballots and additional absentee ballots cast in the Nov. 3 election be counted along with those already counted on election day.

Of the 271 additional ballots to be counted, 42 were cast in Salem, where there is a five-vote difference separating Joseph Radin Jr. and Randy Colian for the final council-at-large seat.

The board voted on the Salem ballots separately so board member Patty Colian could abstain from the votes to avoid any potential conflict of interest since Randy Colian is her brother.

The other three races where the margin of defeat is less than 10 votes and could be affected by uncounted ballots, depending on how they fall, are:

- Madison Township trustee: nine votes separate Gary Williams and John Barrett.

-Beaver Local school board: five votes separate Lance Shultz and Tom Wolfe for the final seat.

- Leetonia school board: six votes separate John Rydarowicz and Danny Ferry for the final seat.

The board staff will begin the final count today, with the board reconvening at 9 a.m. Friday to certify the official results. An automatic recount would be triggered in any race where the margin of defeat is found to be less than one half of 1 percent, based on a mathematical formula that takes into account the number of positions being elected in the particular race.

Of the 275 provisional ballots cast, the board ruled 220 were valid and could be counted. Provisional ballots are those cast election day but go uncounted because of poll worker questions about whether they were properly registered or voting in the correct precinct.

Another 52 absentee ballots cast election day remained uncounted because the envelopes were either filled out improperly or failed to include the required personal identification information. These voters were contacted and given 10 days to provide the correct information. The board determined 26 could be counted.

There were another 21 absentee ballots received after Nov. 3 but postmarked prior to the election. All of them were accepted for counting.

Finally, the board found four unscanned ballots cast election day that were either torn and couldn't be counted or were the subject of questions raised by poll workers. The board accepted all four, and in the case of the two torn ballots ordered new ones be made reflecting how the persons voted.

All total, the board ruled 81 ballots should not be counted.