Unofficially, four votes separate political newcomers
JEFF GEARINO Southwest Wyoming bureau | Posted: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 12:00 am
GREEN RIVER - The final results are in for the House District 22 race and it's … a recount.
In the closest race of Tuesday night in western Wyoming, political newcomer Jim Roscoe of Wilson, a Democrat, unofficially defeated Republican Charles Stough of Pinedale by just four votes.
The count showed Roscoe with 2,891 votes and Stough with 2,887.
That slim margin of victory is enough to trigger an automatic recount, said Peggy Nighswonger, elections director for the Secretary of State's Office.
According to state statute, a recount is required if the number of votes between the winning and losing candidates is less than one percent of the votes cast for the winning candidate.
"It does fall within that 1 percent mandatory recount and we are notifying the clerks involved today," Nighswonger said in a phone interview Wednesday. "It's very close."
The district covers nearly all of Sublette County and parts of Lincoln and Teton counties in western Wyoming. The eventual winner will take over the seat vacated by Rep. Monte Olsen, R-Daniel, who did not seek re-election.
Both candidates were making a first bid for state office.
Stough, 46, is the chief financial officer for an ecological consulting firm in Pinedale. He beat longtime Alpine Mayor Donn Wooden in the primary election in August.
Roscoe, 58, is a general contractor and small business owner from Wilson in Teton County. He ran unopposed in the primary.
Nighswonger said the next step is for each county clerk to conduct a recount in their particular county. She said the candidates and members of both parties will be invited to witness the recounts.
Those results will then be presented to the county's canvassing board, which will meet and certify the recount totals before forwarding them to the Secretary of State's Office by the end of business Friday.
Nighswonger said the canvassing results must include totals from before and after the recount.
Those results will then be sent to the state canvassing board for review. The state board will meet Wednesday and determine the official winner.
Contact southwest Wyoming bureau reporter Jeff Gearino at (307) 875-5359 or gearino@tribcsp.com