All ballots cast in Jasper County in this year’s General Election were recounted this weekend and a hand recount will be held Monday (11/9) in a precinct in Mingo. The preliminary results — added to vote tallies from the 23 other counties in Iowa’s second congressional district — show Democratic candidate Rita Hart now leading Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks by 163 votes. The Secretary of State ordered the recount after Jasper County Auditor Dennis Parrott notified state officials that a clerical error in his office had given Miller-Meeks and other candidates on the ballot too many votes out of the Mingo precinct. Parrott says Saturday’s (11/7) recount came up with the tally he expected.

“Which was the corrected results we sent to the Secretary of State on Thursday, so I’m very happy, very elated. The process is a perfect process. It catches things.”

Parrott says he stands by the results of the recount, which was done in the presence of election observers.  All results are still unofficial until Tuesday, when the Jasper County Board of Supervisors convenes to conduct what’s called the official canvass. There’s no declared winner in Iowa’s second congressional district race yet.  It’s possible one or both campaigns may seek recounts in selected precincts or in certain counties.

In Mahaska County, canvassing of ballots will take place at 1pm Monday at the Mahaska County Courthouse in Oskaloosa in the third floor conference room.