ROGERS -- A recount Thursday in two tight state House races in Benton County left the winners -- and incumbents -- in place.
Challenger Kendon Underwood of Cave Springs has asked for another recount in his Republican primary race against Rep. Jana Della Rosa of Rogers for the House District 90 seat. Underwood lost by four votes out of 2,134 cast, according to recount totals.
Challenger Scott Richardson of Bentonville decided against another recount, conceding the race to Rep. Dan Douglas early Thursday afternoon. Douglas won his Republican primary bid by 12 votes out of 1,880 cast.
Unofficial results show 1,069 votes for Della Rosa and 1,065 for Underwood after Thursday's recount, a one vote increase for Della Rosa from Tuesday's results. Douglas' and Richardson's vote totals were unchanged in their District 91 race, 946 to 934.
The Election Commission did Thursday's recount on its own initiative because of the closeness of those races, commission officials said. Underwood's recount is planned to begin Tuesday, according to election officials. Final certification of the vote is due by law on Friday.
"My only concern is that it is so close, I owe it to my supporters and to all of the voters of District 90 to make sure we have the right result," Underwood said after the recount. "I have no evidence that there is anything fishy going on or anything.
"I am very grateful to the commission for the first recount and for the good-faith effort they've shown to make sure everything's right," he said.
Richardson said Thursday it was statistically unlikely another recount would change the outcome.
Vote totals show the District 91 race was decided by a difference of six-tenths of 1 percent. The District 90 race's margin is less than two-tenths of 1 percent.
"Conceding the race at this stage was not an easy decision, and not one I made on my own," Richardson said. "The outpouring of support from friends and supporters urging me to consider a recount and continue fighting was compelling. In the end, the right decision for us is to move forward from this point, looking to our future.
"Given this race came down to a difference of only seven people speaks highly of the message we presented, and to the diligence of our team to get that message out," Richardson said. "During the campaign, we were blessed to meet many of our neighbors and many of those we can now count as friends."
Douglas said Thursday he appreciated "anybody willing to get out there and put himself up for election," and Richardson clearly worked very hard in the race. Voters appreciated Richardson's firm stance against taxes and for cutting spending, but "we have problems in this state that can't be solved by saying 'No, no, no' all the time," Douglas said.
Della Rosa is a two-term incumbent and Douglas is a three-term incumbent. Della Rosa or Underwood will face Democrat Kati McFarland in the Nov. 6 election. Douglas has no opposition.
"I'm not nearly as worried about it now because I watched the recount today," Della Rosa said of the upcoming recount. Election commission staff and the commissioners themselves were painstaking in both their counting and in cross-checking the results for accuracy, she said. The recount started at 9 a.m. and finished after noon.
"My vote total grew by one vote because they found one absentee ballot that had been folded to put it in the envelope and the crease in the fold meant the machine did not count it when they fed it through," Della Rosa said. "That shows how closely they looked at every ballot."
There is one provisional ballot left that has been confirmed as valid by the county clerk, Della Rosa said, so it will be counted too before the final vote is certified. "So my total will go up by one or down by one if that voter made a choice in this race at all," she said.
The provisional ballot in the Della Rosa-Underwood race was held over a lack of required photo ID, a new requirement this election year, election officials said.
Underwood had to pay for the recount he requested under state law. His money will be refunded if the recount changes the outcome of the race. A recount would cost 25 cents per ballot cast in his race. Underwood said he paid $533.25 to the commission.
A candidate can only request one recount in his race, according to state election law.
Both Della Rosa and Douglas cited the county's light turnout of 12 percent in Tuesday's primaries as a factor in the closeness of their races. Statewide voter turnout was more than 18 percent, according to figures from the Arkansas Secretary of State Office.
"I expected to win, but it is very encouraging even if I don't win to get so close to a two-term incumbent," Underwood said. "Regardless of whatever the final result is, I'm very appreciative of every voter in District 90. Every vote matters."
NW News on 05/25/2018