Signage for voters looking to vote in-person at the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building on Super Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Denver, Colorado. (Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)
One of the candidates in the Democratic primary for Maine Senate District 24 is asking for a recount after losing by just 22 votes.
“When we launched this campaign we went in clear-eyed that this was going to be a hard-fought race and a close one,” said political newcomer Jean Guzzetti, a legislative policy analyst, who challenged former state representative Denise Tepler. “And we weren’t wrong.”
Senate District 24 Democratic candidates Denise Tepler (left) and Jean Guzzetti (right). (Campaign photos)
As of Wednesday morning, Guzzetti had 1,795 votes and Tepler had 1,817.
Candidates are allowed to request a recount without having to pay a deposit if the votes are within a certain margin, per state law. For races like this one with 1,001 to 5,000 combined votes for the candidates, the difference must be 2% or less.
With Tepler receiving 50.3% of the vote and Guzzetti receiving 49.7%, the totals fall well within the threshold of requesting a recount without it being at the candidate’s expense.
In a statement Wednesday, Guzzetti said she has complete confidence in the election process, but with such close margins in many towns, she wants “to be absolutely certain that every vote is counted and every voice is heard.”
Tepler did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Even if she isn’t the winner, Guzzetti said Senate District 24, which includes Sagadahoc County and Dresden in Lincoln County, will be “well represented on the Democratic front,”calling Tepler an “experienced and respected legislator.”
The winner of this primary will face Republican Jeffrey Pierce in the November election.
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