BEMIDJI — Nothing will change after a recount of the Aug. 13 primary for a Bemidji City Council race.
Ward 5 candidate Michael Meehlhause called for the publicly funded recount in the race after he came in third, garnering seven fewer votes than Bill Batchelder. Fewer than 400 votes were cast in the three-way race between Meehlhause, Batchelder and incumbent Council Member Lynn Eaton.
Votes for Eaton were excluded from the recount that took place in the Beltrami County Board Room on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 28.
County Auditor-Treasurer JoDee Treat announced at the end that the results for the two candidates were the same as the primary.
“Since there are no challenged ballots, the summary statement and the recounted abstract will go to the canvassing board tomorrow at noon and that concludes our recount,” Treat said.
The canvassing board is the Bemidji City Council, which will meet Thursday to certify the results.
The top two primary finishers, Eaton and Batchelder, will then appear on ballots for the Ward 5 seat this November.
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