After counting the provisional ballots from election day last week, Philadelphia has spoken. In a nail-biter, Republican David Oh edged out his opponent:
Oh today finally bested Al Taubenberger in last week’s election, after absentee, military and provisional ballots were counted. In the final tally, Oh led by 166 votes from election day ballots and absentee ballots. A count today of 755 provisional ballots, used on election day when there are questions about a voter’s registration, did not put Taubenberger ahead.
This makes Oh the first Asian American ever elected to Philadelphia’s city council – which is the city’s 17-member legislative body.Oh had ran several times before, the second time winning by seven votes on election day, but ultimately lost by 122 votes after the absentee votes were counted.
Oh was born-and-raised in Philadelphia. His parents were originally from Korea and left for the U.S. after the Korean War, where his father founded the first Korean American church in Philadelphia. An attorney by training and practice, Oh has also been active in public service, serving in 1992 on then Mayor Ed Rendell’s transition team and, in 1999, helped organized Governor Tom Ridge’s trade mission to South Korea. Congratulations to David Oh!
