Jill Schramm/MDN Dennis Jacobson and Kristin Kowalczyk, two of the seven members of the Ward County Canvassing Board, carefully mark a replacement ballot Monday after vote tallying equipment rejected the original ballot. Scanner rejection can occur due to ballot folds or stray ballot marks unassociated with candidate selection.

Incumbent Ward County Commissioner Shelly Weppler said she won’t request a recount following the canvass of the county election Monday.

Weppler, who has served 12 years on the commission, came five votes closer to the vote total of Miranda Schuler after the canvass, leaving a 179-vote spread in the race for the third seat on the commission. An automatic recount in the race required a spread of fewer than 70 votes.

“I have no intention of asking for a recount outside of the range of what is automatic,” Weppler said.

Incumbent Commissioner Jim Rostad, with 13,951 votes, and Ron Merritt, with 13,118, led the race and captured the other two commission seats. Schuler received 11,902 votes in the canvass total.

The Ward County Canvassing Board results become official once approved by the state canvassing board.

Unofficial results from the Nov. 5 general election also were in the range of a demand count for Weppler. Weppler gained 29 votes, while Schuler gained 24, from additional mailed absentee ballots and other held ballots accepted for tallying by the canvassing board.

The canvassing board counted 59 additional ballots, raising Ward County voter numbers to 18,778 for a 54.38% turnout.

There were no other county races on the ballot. Judges Stacy Louser and Richard Hagar and Soil Conservation District Supervisor David Colby ran unopposed and were elected.

State measures fared the same in Ward County as statewide.

County results following canvassing were:

– Measure 1, constitutional language change for institutions, passed 23,491 to 4,229.

– Measure 2, change to initiated measure process, failed 11,573 to 15,379.

– Measure 3, Legacy Fund changes, passed 14,265 to 12,001.

– Measure 4, elimination of property tax, failed 13,161 to 14, 660.

– Measure 5, recreational marijuana, failed 13,695 to 14,609.

County results from the presidential race were: Republican Donald Trump, 20,635; Democrat Kamala Harris, 7,215; and Libertarian Chase Oliver, 476.