Recount likely after 4-vote difference in state Senate District 4 race

MOORHEAD — The Senate District 4 contest was expected to be a close race.

Still, the results Tuesday, Nov. 3, were surprising: only four votes separate the two candidates. DFL state Sen. Rob Kupec is expected to request a ballot recount.

With all precincts reported, Kupec earned 18,103 votes. But Republican challenger Austin Peterson leads with 18,107 votes. There were 42 write-in votes — more than the four-vote difference.

In Minnesota, a losing candidate can request a publicly funded recount in a state legislative office election if a winner leads by less than 0.5%. The gap between Kupec and Peterson easily meets that criteria at a difference of about 0.01%.

Federal and state races that meet the threshold were once considered automatic. However, after a law change in 2013, the losing candidate must now request a recount within 48 hours of the canvassing board meeting to make the election results official. The board also oversees election recounts.

If the difference between candidates doesn’t meet the threshold, a candidate can still request a recount. This is called a discretionary recount, and it’s funded by the candidate rather than the public.

During a recount, election officials review every ballot by hand. They’ll check for marks that may not have been read by voting machines — for example, if a voter circles a candidate’s name rather than filling in a corresponding bubble.

Early on Wednesday morning, Kupec shared his interest in pursuing a recount on Facebook, posting, “With just four votes separating us, every vote deserves to be counted. We look forward to the recount process and having every vote counted before the final outcome is determined.”

He also shared his gratitude for election officials that “will ensure a clear outcome.”

Kupec is a former meteorologist in Moorhead and spent a decade with KVRR TV station before running for office.

When Kupec first ran for office in 2022, he beat his Republican opponent Dan Bohmer by around 5 percentage points.

Peterson is a self-employed real estate developer and small business owner currently serving on the Hawley School Board.

He also offered his thoughts Wednesday morning on Facebook, stating the close race was a reminder that every vote counts. He also acknowledged the upcoming recount, posting, “We know a recount is ahead, and we respect the process. We'll let that process play out.”

State Senate District 4 includes portions of Becker and Clay counties, and the cities of Moorhead, Glyndon, Audubon and Detroit Lakes.

Stella Mayerhoff is a Report for America corps member, covering Minnesota’s headwaters region for KAXE in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Report for America places talented journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and regions.