Rosalyn R. Dance is still waiting to pop the champagne.

Her certification as the Democratic nominee for the 16th District Senate seat was delayed after an irregularity was discovered in the vote count reported by a Petersburg precinct from Saturday’s “firehouse” primary.

During the official count, the Democratic Party of Virginia found 16 ballots had been cast at the Tabernacle Life Center precinct without people signing a Democratic loyalty oath as was required.

Robert Dempsey, the executive director of the state party, confirmed the problem Wednesday, but told the Free Press the issue was being resolved. He said he expected to certify Delegate Dance to the State Board of Elections on Thursday.

The State Board of Elections would then place her name on the ballot for the Nov. 4 special election to replace Henry L. Marsh III, who resigned last month.

The certification was scheduled to be completed Tuesday, when the final canvass of the votes was conducted, but Mr. Dempsey said concerns about the count temporarily left the certification on hold.

Evandra Thompson, a volunteer poll observer for Delegate Delores L. McQuinn’s campaign, told the Free Press the concerns involved the actions of the precinct’s sergeant at arms, Petersburg City Councilman W. Howard Myers of Ward 5.

She said Councilman Myers put several ballots at a time into his shirt pocket as he helped elderly and disabled voters cast curbside ballots.

She also saw Mr. Myers take some ballots to curbside voters without asking them to first fill out a Democratic loyalty pledge.

Councilman Myers denied any improprieties.

He told the Free Press that he placed “two to four” ballots in his pockets at a time because he was trying to help as many disabled people as possible at one time.

He said he asked every voter to fill out a loyalty form because “I could not receive a ballot without one.” He said he did not know why the precinct had a discrepancy in the paperwork.

Mr. Dempsey said there are no rules from the state party prohibiting election workers outside the precinct from putting ballots in their pockets to take them inside.

He said the alleged irregularities also did not involve enough votes to change the primary outcome. He said the overall count at the precinct would be reduced by 16 votes.