TOPEKA — With Democrat Cindy Holscher holding a narrow lead in the Kansas governor’s race, Republican Ty Masterson said Wednesday the results warrant “another look.”
Holscher declared victory, even though the race was too close to call, as election offices across the state braced for a hand count of ballots from 10% of the precincts in each county. An unknown number of late-arriving mail ballots and provisional ballots also could affect the total.
Holscher’s lead over Masterson grew from about 5,500 votes Wednesday morning to 7,045 votes Wednesday night, with 549,974 to his 542,929.
“The first count does not seem to be going our way, but the margin is narrow enough that Kansas law calls for another look, and we’ll let that process finish,” Masterson said. “Every Kansan deserves to know the result is right.”
Holscher issued a statement asserting she had prevailed.
“The people of Kansas made their voices heard, and I’m deeply honored by the trust Kansans placed in me to serve as your next governor,” Holscher said. “Whether I earned your vote or not, I will work for you.”
State law triggers a close-race audit of 10% of precincts per county when the margin between candidates is within 1%. In addition to the governor’s race, the margins for attorney general, secretary of state and three House districts require a close-race audit.
Bryan Caskey, the state elections director, said election officials must hand count the ballots from 10% of precincts and compare the results to the totals counted by machines. He said election offices would be working from Thursday into the weekend to complete the audit before Monday, when county commissions begin to certify results.
Past audits have confirmed election results in Kansas. Sometimes, Caskey said, the hand count will be slightly different because of something like a machine not counting an oval that wasn’t correctly filled in.
Masterson also would have until 5 p.m. Nov. 17, the day after county commissions must finish certifying results, to request a full recount.
Under Kansas law, the state will cover the cost of a standard recount, where ballots are run back through machines, if the race is within one-half of a percentage point. Masterson would have to pay for the cost of a hand recount, or if the margin is more than 0.5% and the outcome doesn’t change.
It wasn’t clear whether Masterson’s statement about taking “another look” referred to the close-race audit or his right to request a recount.
“He’s referring to the one in law,” said Garrett Henson, his campaign spokesman.
As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, Holscher’s margin was 0.64%. The margin could change, however. Mail ballots that were postmarked by Tuesday and arrive by Friday will be counted. And county commissions will have to consider provisional ballots.
“I believe it is premature to ask for a recount until after the county board of canvassers start certifying the results at the county level,” Caskey said. “There will be an increase in the number of votes that are included in the count because every county has provisional ballots, and so I believe that for a candidate request to recount, they should look at the best possible information they have, the conclusion of the post-election audits, and the review of provisional ballots.”
Caskey said the Secretary of State’s Office was trying to find out how many provisional ballots there were.
At his watch party Tuesday night in Wichita, Masterson told the crowd: “What I’m afraid is we’re gonna have lawyers involved in this thing.” Several in the crowd offered their assistance.
Masterson, of Andover, is president of the Kansas Senate. Holscher, of Overland Park, also serves in the Senate.
“Whatever the outcome, the fight for lower property taxes, safer communities and better schools doesn’t end tonight,” Masterson said in his early Wednesday statement. “I’ll keep working for those things no matter what, and I’ll work with anyone who wants to get them done.”
In declaring victory, Holscher thanked Masterson for his service to the state and congratulated him on running a hard-fought campaign.
“Throughout this campaign, I heard from people who want their leaders to put politics aside and work together to deliver on the things that matter most: strong public schools, lower costs for our families and farmers, and an economy where every Kansan can get ahead,” Holscher said.