More than three and a half hours after polls closed in Butler County, the Butler County Bureau of Elections has reported its results.

Shortly after 9 p.m., the Bureau of Elections updated its website to say, “Returns are being tabulated. Please stand by.”

Similar messages have been continually posted throughout the evening.

At 10:25 p.m., the bureau promised “results very soon.”

Ten minutes later, another post reflected that results were in the process of being posted.

“Ballots are tabulated. Data is being loaded now,” the 10:35 p.m. post said,

According to county Bureau of Elections director Aaron Sheasley, the delay was intentional.

“We are looking to release data at the same time for transparency purposes,” he said. “We'd rather have it right versus getting something out there fast.”

Sheasley said shortly after 10 p.m. that the counts for precincts and mail-in ballots were expected to be posted within a half hour.

At 11:35 p.m., results were still not posted.

The results were shared just before midnight.

In comparison, Lawrence County was reporting 48 out of 75 precincts as “partially reported,” and has mail-in votes as counted by 11 p.m.

By 10 p.m., Mercer County was reporting 25 of 90 precincts counted. At 11 p.m., 90 of 90 precincts were partially reported.

Clarion County was also reporting votes for different races, and Beaver County was reporting its total number of in-person and mail in votes on its website.

Allegheny County was reporting unofficial results from multiple precincts as well.

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