HELENA – Recounts will be held next week in two Montana legislative races – one in Billings and one in Great Falls.
Republican state Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway in House District 22 in south Great Falls and Republican Fred Fleming in House District 51 in south-central Billings are the official winners in each race.
However, their respective margins of victory are each less than 0.5 percent of the vote total, allowing the losing candidate to request a recount – if that losing candidate is willing to pay for it.
In both races, the losing candidate has requested the recount and posted a non-refundable bond to pay for the recount.
Democrat Darryl Wilson, who lost to Fleming by 17 votes, has posted a $1,137 bond to finance his recount, which is scheduled next Tuesday in Billings.
The Montana Democratic Party has posted a $2,115 bond to pay for the recount for Democrat Laura Devers, who lost to Sheldon-Galloway by 14 votes. The recount has yet to be scheduled.
If the margin if victory is less than 0.25 percent of the vote total, the candidates do not have to pay for the recount.
Republicans currently hold a 58-42 majority in the Montana House for the 2019 Legislature, which convenes January 7.
(November 9, 2018) The 2018 election is over – but not for all of the candidates.
The House District 22 race between Republican Lola Sheldon-Galloway and Democrat Laura Dever has not yet been decided.
The current numbers have Sheldon-Galloway in the lead with 1,869 votes, and Dever only five votes behind her at 1,864.
Cascade County Clerk & Recorder Rina Moore says they still have to count 13 provisional ballots by Tuesday.
“I do not think it will take us out of the recount. The magic number is 18. There is 13 provisional and I am at five so that adds up to 18, so I have been told it will go to a recount. When you think about it, the nerves kick in,” Sheldon-Galloway said.
Montana Democratic Party Roy Loewenstein says the House District 22 race is far from being over.
The provisional ballots will be counted on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
A candidate can request an automatic recount if they are behind by less than .25 percent. If the margin is between .25 percent and .5 percent, a trailing candidate can request a recount but would be required to pay for it, according to the state.
