With races in Hays and Ellis still hanging in the balance a week after Election Day, voters and candidates will have to wait just a little longer.

At Monday’s Ellis County Commission meeting, it was announced the canvas will be delayed until a special meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday at the administrative center.

Officials said the large number of write-in votes that have yet to be verified caused the extended suspense.

County Election Officer Donna Maskus said Monday, “I’ve been in the county as an employee for several years in the Clerk’s office and I’ve never seen the amount of write-ins were are seeing.”

The third Hays City Commission seat between Chris Dinkel and Dustin Roths was too close to call before provisionals and write-ins were calculated, and a write-in campaign for the Ellis school board resulted in that category actually garnering the most votes.

Maskus said Thursday is the last day they have to canvass the results.

Check Hays Post for more as details become available.