North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe (center) speaks during a State Canvassing Board meeting on June 26, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

A candidate in the June 11 primary in western North Dakota can face a recount if the candidate requests it, state officials decided Wednesday.

The State Canvassing Board met Wednesday to certify the election results. The statewide election results did not change, but the board ruled that Republican Rep. Kelby Timmons of Watford City could request a recount.

According to Secretary of State Michael Howe, no statewide race was within the range for an automatic recount.

Timmons lost the Republican nomination for the 26th House District to challenger Roger Maki by 13 votes. The margin is narrow enough for Timmons to demand a recount, but doing so would be at the expense of his campaign.

Timmons has until July 1 to decide. If a recount is ordered, county election officials will submit the results of the recount by July 15.

Timmons did not respond to a text message seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.

The primary for Republicans running for House of Representatives in the state's 8th District was also close, but mail-in ballots received after Election Day did not change the outcome. Republican Rep. Brandon Prichard of Bismarck came in third and will not advance to November because the final vote is not eligible for a recount upon request.

The State Canvassing Board also finalized the total number of votes submitted by the County Canvassing Boards, which met Monday.

In total 120,358 North Dakota residents have cast their ballots in the 2024 primary election, representing a statewide turnout of 20%. In June 2020, the last year of the presidential primary, more than 160,000 voters cast their ballots, representing a turnout of nearly 28%.

The number of absentee and mail-in votes fell to about 36,500 in 2024, compared to the 2022 primary, when nearly 41,400 voters cast their ballots by mail or absentee.

In North Dakota, Howe said, 36 counties have approved mail-in voting by their county commissions. Those counties send every voter in the county an application for an absentee ballot, and when the voter returns a completed application, they are mailed a ballot to return.

Early voting increased in 2024 in the eight counties where early voting was allowed. In 2024, about 12,200 voters cast their ballots before Election Day. In 2022, about 9,600 voters cast their ballots at polling places.

Howe praised election teams from across the state for conducting a smooth election.

“Everything we’ve heard from all 53 counties has been largely smooth,” Howe said.

He also said he would speak with the U.S. Postal Service to ensure that ballots in North Dakota are date stamped after Several counties reported ballots without postmarksHowe said the decision whether or not to accept ballots without a mailing date rests with county election boards.

Howe said that during the 2024 primary, only one official complaint was filed about poll workers, An election judge in Stutsman County is accused of failing to initial several ballotsThe incident is currently being investigated by the State Criminal Police Office.

The State Canvassing Board consists of Howe, On the ballot are State Treasurer Thomas Beadle, North Dakota Supreme Court Clerk Petra Mandigo Hulm, and the chairs of the state political party committees.

The post “Primary election recount possible after state canvassing board certifies results” first appeared in the North Dakota Monitor.