Back from the Grave

Long after most congressional votes around the country had been counted and analyzed. House seats in three scattered districts still hung in balance. Last week, as the tabulation in each shifted from home votes to stacks of absentee ballots, incumbent Congressmen who seemed doomed to defeat were hoisted back into their seats on the shoulders of servicemen, students and traveling constituents. Items:

P: In New Jersey's 13th District, incumbent Democrat Alfred D. Sieminski, 45, trailed Republican Norman Roth by 149 votes after his district's 282 voting machines had been counted. But Sieminski won 637 absentee votes to Roth's 431, finally edged his opponent 54,841 to 54,784, became the only Hudson County Democrat to withstand a G.O.P. rout of the Kenny machine.

P: In Nebraska's Third District, following a hard-fought battle between two candidates who both favored the Bricker amendment and opposed foreign aid northeast Nebraska's drought-suffering farmers blamed their misfortune on Ezra Benson-Backer Robert D. Harrison, 59. Democrat Lawrence Brock shocked Republican Nebraska by winning the home vote, 61,295 to 60,166. But when 3,500 absentee ballots had been opened. Republican Harrison won his fourth term by a narrow 256.

P: In Washington's Fourth District, farm unrest also reacted against seven-term G.O.P. Congressman Hal Holmes, 54. Eastern Washington wheat farmers pinned their approval on Fellow Farmer Frank LeRoux of Walla Walla, who led Holmes by 1,200 after 142,000 votes in twelve counties had been totaled. But 10,000 absentees swung the decision back to Holmes by a slim 1,000 votes.

Final party vote in the House: Democrats 234, Republicans 201.

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