Minnesota board allows three days for recount

ST. PAUL (AP) — Minnesota’s first statewide election recount in 46 years will occur at a much faster clip than the last: It’s due to take three days, compared with 139 days to finish the 1962 tallying.

The state canvassing board has approved the aggressive timetable for the recount to determine who will take on state Supreme Court Justice Lorie Gildea. It’s being done quickly because the printing of absentee ballots for the general election begins Monday.
Returns from the Sept. 9 primary had Hennepin County District Court Judge Deborah Hedlund ahead of defense lawyer Jill Clark by 1,348 votes in the chase to face Gildea. That margin was less than one half of one percentage point, triggering the automatic recount.

The manual review of 419,474 ballots will begin Wednesday and wrap up by Friday. Final results are scheduled to be certified on Sunday.

Minnesota’s last statewide recount was the 1962 governor’s race, which Democrat Karl Rolvaag ultimately won by 91 votes out of 1.3 million cast.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said the court race recount can proceed faster because there fewer overall ballots, county officials are assuming large roles and the state uses optical-scan ballots now that are easier to read.

Another recount is needed to determine the Independence Party candidate for state House in District 3A, which is in northeastern Minnesota. The primary night tally had W.D. “Bill” Hamm winning by three votes over Chris Pfeifer for the nomination to challenge DFL Rep. Tom Anzelc and Republican Marv Ott.

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