Recount moves victory margin to just 2 votes for Brooklyn Park mayoral candidate

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) - A recount on Thursday affirmed a narrow victory by Brooklyn Park mayoral candidate Lisa Jacobson over challenger Hollies Winston by just two votes.

Early results after last week's election put Jacobson over Winston by only a single vote, 3,415 to 3,414. Following the narrow defeat, Winston requested a recount.

Thursday, precinct by precinct, Brooklyn Park’s city clerk announced the number of votes cast for each candidate for mayor, comparing the new recount number to the numbers previously tallied by ballot machines for the special election.

A tedious and important process that ultimately affirmed Tuesday's results, now putting Jacobson at 3,416 and Winston still at 3,414 votes.

However, seven ballots are being challenged during the process, two by Jacobson and five by Winston.

Thursday's recount marked the third time Devin Montero has conducted a recount in his time as city clerk. But, it's not the closest. A 2005 recount resulted in a tie.

"The mayor's option was to do a coin flip and Mr. Haglen won the race," said Montero.

But for this recount, part of what is making Jacobson's camp feel confident is Montero determining one over-vote should be added to her tally.

The canvassing board will determine Monday night how those seven voters in question meant to vote for mayor.

"It’s not over yet, we have these ballots where there are questions over how the voters intended to vote and that will be resolved by the city council," added Winston's attorney David Zoll.