ST. CLOUD – An updated vote count in the House 14B race has widened the gap between DFL Rep. Dan Wolgamott and Republican challenger Sue Ek.
Absentee ballots in late count push DFL Rep. Dan Wolgamott to larger lead in House 14B race
The updated 191-vote difference in the St. Cloud-area race is outside the threshold for an automatic recount.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
November 8, 2024 at 5:55PM
The updated totals come after Sherburne County election staff identified absentee ballots received by the U.S. Postal Service that weren’t included in the unofficial totals uploaded to the Minnesota Secretary of State website on election night, according to a statement issued Thursday night by Sherburne County Administrator Bruce Messelt.
Messelt said the delayed upload was limited to one ballot scanner and “involved an incomplete transfer of data from that scanner to the state election reporting system.”
“This is why election results are unofficial until all tabulations and totals are checked and double checked, and the Canvassing Board meets and certifies the election results,” Messelt said in the release. “This is also why procedures and multiple checks and balances are in place to identify and correct such challenges, should they arise, in the processing and counting of all cast ballots.”
On Wednesday morning, the Secretary of State’s Office showed Wolgamott had a 28-vote lead over Ek. The updated results show a difference of 191 votes; Wolgamott now has 50.36% of the vote, with Ek having 49.4%. The county’s canvassing board is scheduled to meet Tuesday.
For legislative races, taxpayer-funded recounts occur when the results are within 0.5% of the total votes cast. The 14B race is now outside that margin, but Ek could pay for a recount. She did not respond to a request for comment Friday morning, but said Wednesday that she was looking forward to a recount.
“Over 9,000 voters voted for me,” Ek said Wednesday. “It’s only fair to them that we are confirmed in the results.”
On Friday, Wolgamott reiterated a previous statement declaring victory in the race and thanking voters for electing him to a fourth term: “I’m ready to continue my record of standing up for police and first responders, defending reproductive freedom, and working with both sides of the aisle to get things done for St. Cloud.”
The Minnesota House was evenly split 67-67 after Election Day, though Republicans were looking to two races Democrats led — the 14B seat in St. Cloud and one in Shakopee — that appeared likely to head to recounts.
The Secretary of State’s office shows DFL Rep. Brad Tabke of Shakopee with a 13-vote lead over Republican Aaron Paul in District 54A. That margin is close enough to trigger a taxpayer-funded recount. If Republicans were to prevail in either race, the GOP would take control of the House.
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