MINNESOTA, USA — Scott County certified the election results in a very close race in Shakopee, where incumbent democrat Brad Tabke beat Republican Aaron Paul by just 14 votes.
Paul has officially requested a recount in 54A, and now that process will begin.
That race is one of two Minnesota House races headed for recounts.
"It's been up and down," Paul said. "We're preparing."
The razor-thin margin falls within the threshold for an automatic recount under state law.
"I think people are just waiting to see what happens," said Shakopee resident Collin Duff.
Duff says a lot of folks at Turtle's Bar and Grill have been talking about it.
"I think everybody is tired of the way the world's running, and we have to, we have to do it slowly," said patron, Kathy Hoffman, who said these results show her community is looking for change
Meanwhile, in District 14B, DFL Rep. Dan Wolgamott now leads Republican Sue Ek by 191 votes after initial confusion on election night.
At one point, unofficial results showed Ek winning by four votes. Wolgamott later led by 28.
Sherburne County officials attributed the discrepancy to a memory card malfunction, but said no votes were lost or found. The county plans to conduct a hand recount at its own expense.
"There's a huge effort to be sure that the votes counted were accurate, because it makes a big difference," Ek said.
If current results hold, the Minnesota House would be evenly split between DFL and Republican members.
Buddy King, a District 14B resident, says the tight races reflect the state's changing demographics,
"I'm not just talking racially, but just socially, economically, everything is growing," King said. "And so I think what we're seeing is the results of that."
King's wife, Keshia Anderson-King, hopes the DFL maintains its lead, citing concerns about education and support for LGBTQ and immigrant communities.
"Whether it be DFL or Republic, I just want it to be for the people," she said.