For most local candidates in the Nov. 4 elections, it will be a mere formality when results are certified this week.But one candidate is hoping to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.Catherine “Kit” Roupe, the Republican candidate for Colorado House District 17, is still hoping for a reversal of Democrat Dennis Apuan’s apparent victory.Roupe said 1,000 provisional ballots had been issued in District 17. If enough of them are validated, and they go heavily in her favor, it’s conceivable she could erase Apuan’s 380-vote margin of victory.”I have no idea what the outcome is,” Roupe said Monday. “You never know until they’re done counting the ballots.”Provisional ballots are issued when a voter isn’t listed on election rolls or there’s some other question about the voter’s eligibility. Provisional ballots aren’t counted on Election Day, but are reviewed later by the county canvass board, which rules on the eligibility of each ballot. Valid ballots are then added to the Election Day totals.Liz Olson, manager of the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s elections office, said the counting of valid provisional ballots was completed Monday afternoon, and final, official results would be posted today or Thursday, before Friday’s deadline.”I don’t know whose favor it will be in,” Roupe said of the provisional-ballot count, but added, “Of course we always are optimistic, we want to win.”Apuan did not return a call for comment.John Morris, chairman of the El Paso County Democratic Party, said Tuesday that the party’s representative on the canvass board had reported no problems with the counting of provisional ballots.”I guess I’m not sweating it too much,” Morris said, agreeing with Olson’s assessment that provisional ballots almost never change the outcome of an election.But he added: “Until it’s all official and all signed and sealed and delivered, then it’s still sort of up in the air.”Gazette reporter Pam Zubeck contributed to this report. Contact the writer: 476-1654 or dean.toda@gazettedev.gazette.com

Colorado Springs Police officers arrested a man in the 3000 block of N. Institute St. Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008, in connection with the robbery of the Air Academy Credit Union at 705 N. Nevada Ave. earlier in the day. Photo by Kevin Kreck, The Gazette

Kevin Kreck