Stewart Mills To Request Recount In 8th District Election

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – As Wisconsin election officials move forward with a possible recount, Minnesota could see one as well. Minnesota's recount won't be in the presidential race, however, but for a Congressional seat.

Republican Stewart Mills wants all the votes recounted by hand in his 8th District race against Democratic Congressman Rick Nolan.

Mills said his attorney will hand deliver a request for a recount to Secretary of State Steve Simon Tuesday. Simon is on the State Canvassing Board, which meets at 2 p.m. Mills believes his request will be delivered around 3 p.m.

Mills said he is requesting a recount to be certain voter intent is determined on each ballot and that there is due diligence to ensure every voice is counted.

He lost to Congressman Nolan by 2,009 votes, about half a percentage point. That margin is too large to trigger an automatic recount.

He believes the recount will take about two weeks to complete, saying it will take about a week to prepare for it and another week to actually count all 356,971 votes.

The Star Tribune reported Mills is not alleging voter fraud but believes there are enough questions to merit a recount.

Nolan's campaign manager Joe Radinovich said a recount is not needed, as he believes the outcome is unlikely to change.

Radinovich released a statement saying, in part, that Nolan is proud voters elected him back into his seat.

"The Congressman's relative margin was over twice that of Governor Dayton's 2010 victory, and it was over twice the threshold established in law. It is evident voters recognized Congressman Nolan as an effective champion of their issues," the statement said.

Mills said his campaign will pay for a recount. He said his campaign is not soliciting donations, but they will not be turning away any.

According to the Star Tribune, Mills expects the recount to cost him "just under six figures."

He also spent about $2 million of his own money for his campaign.

Radinovich's statement also said that although Mills has a right to pay for the recount, it is unprecedented and calls into question the integrity of Minnesota's election system.