As late absentee and provisional ballots continue to be counted in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, Democratic challenger Christy Smith has pulled ahead of Republican incumbent Dante Acosta in the 38th Assembly District race.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Smith leads by 1,718 votes out of 150,504 ballots counted so far.

Acosta led by 1,222 votes on election night.

While the latest release shows Acosta slipping only slightly in Ventura County compared to election night, Smith widened her lead more dramatically in Los Angeles County, which has more 38th Assembly District voters than Ventura County. Additional results are due to be released Friday.

Approximately 688,000 ballots remain to be counted across Los Angeles County alone; of those, roughly 4 percent should be from the 38th Assembly District.

Late absentee ballots are generally those mailed on election day or dropped off at polling places. Provisional ballots are cast at polling places on election day. The election-day ballots have been trending Democrat, compared to traditional “early” absentees, aka vote-by-mail ballots that were returned well ahead of election day, which trend Republican locally and are included in the initial vote tally.

Here are the numbers on Election Night:

STATE (OVERALL: L.A.+Ventura)
Acosta – 64,444 – 50.5%
Smith – 63,222 – 49.5

L.A. County only
Acosta – 44,886 – 49.13%
Smith – 46,477 – 50.87

Ventura County only
Acosta – 19,558 – 53.87%
Smith – 16,745 – 46.13

Total difference – 1,222 (Acosta)

Here are the numbers as of Tuesday afternoon, with ballot count updates from both the L.A. County and Ventura County registrars:

STATE (OVERALL: L.A.+Ventura)
Acosta – 74,393 – 49.43%
Smith – 76,111 – 50.57

LA County only
Acosta – 52,587 – 47.89%
Smith – 57,220 – 52.11

Ventura County only
Acosta – 21,806 – 53.55%
Smith – 18,891 – 46.42

Total difference – 1,718 (Smith)