17th Middlesex State Representative Vanna Howard scored a convincing victory over 16th Middlesex Representative Rodney Elliott in what was expected to be a tight primary battle Tuesday night.

When the counting was done, the third term representative from Lowell easily outpaced her State House colleague by almost 1,000 votes, 3,326-2,369.

The result secures Howard’s name on the March 3 ballot as the Democratic nominee in the 1st Middlesex State Senate District Special Election.

Meanwhile, on the Republican side, Sam Meas appears poised to earn a slot on next month’s ballot. Meas mounted a write-in campaign, needing 300 votes across the district to gain the GOP nomination.

As of press time, election clerks in Dracut, Pepperell and Tyngsborough have confirmed counting 252 votes for Meas, while Lowell and Dunstable report 237 and 64 write in votes respectfully. While those ballots have yet to be assigned to a specific name, it is very likely Meas will easily cross the threshold necessary to appear on the March 3 ballot.

Unenrolled candidate Joe Espinola will round out the field of three candidates vying to replace Ed Kennedy in the 1st Middlesex seat.

Howard handily carried four of the district’s five communities, with only Dracut in Elliott’s win column by a 496-359 margin.

The Downtown Lowell resident decidedly captured the Mill City, 2,149-1,494, and also romped in Pepperell, 445-151.

Howard also bested Elliott 219-130 in Tyngsborough and by a 154-98 margin in Dunstable.

All vote totals are unofficial until certified by town officials in each of the five communities voting.