Official recount of Arkansas House District 56 race shows incumbent keeping 10-vote lead

November 19, 2022 at 8:28 p.m.

by Neal Earley

State Rep. Steve Magie (left), D-Conway, and Republican Trent Minner (right) are both vying to represent Arkansas' House District 56. (Left, courtesy photo; right, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)
State Rep. Steve Magie (left), D-Conway, and Republican Trent Minner (right) are both vying to represent Arkansas' House District 56. (Left, courtesy photo; right, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Cary Jenkins)

After two days of recounting votes, state Rep. Steve Magie, D-Conway, remains 10 votes ahead of Republican challenger Trent Minner for the state House District 56 seat, Faulkner County election officials reported Saturday.

Minner asked for a recount after results showed him 10 votes behind the incumbent. Minner and Libertarian candidate Howard Heffington had challenged Steve Magie for the seat.

With an estimated 100% of the vote counted, unofficial returns showed:

Magie: 4,052

Minner: 4,042

Heffington: 274

It was the closest state legislative race this election in Arkansas, with just four votes separating Magie and Minner after election night. After officials counted provisional ballots, Magie’s lead increased to 10 votes.

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