The Ohio Supreme Court has packed up the record of the 98^th District battle and sent it over to the House to sort out – something it’s expected to do in the next week or two.

Democrat Josh O’Farrell lost his November challenge of Republican Al Landis by just eight votes. That’s out of the nearly 47,000 cast in the district that covers all of Tuscarawas County and a good part of Holmes. The Tuscarawas County Board of Elections --- with two Democratic and two Republican members -- certified the results. Then O’Farrell went to the Ohio Supreme Court to challenge provisional ballots that the elections board had tossed out.

Landis will not be participating in the vote that decides whether he or O’Farrell stays in Columbus. But he was sworn in, and says he’s not taken himself out of the mix in any other way.

“What I’ve been doing is concentrating on the job itself and trying not to concentrate on the things that are going on around us because I really have no control over that. So I’ve been trying to concentrate on being the best representative I can be for the 98^th district.”   

O’Farrell could not be reached for comment. But he told the New Philadelphia Times Reporter that he’s looking for a quick and impartial resolution. Republicans hold a nearly 2-1 advantage in the Ohio House.