Jill Schramm/MDN Dennis Jacobson and Kristin Kowalczyk, two of seven members of the Ward County canvassing board, carefully mark a replacement ballot Monday after vote counting equipment rejected the original ballot. Scanner rejection may occur due to ballot creases or stray marks not associated with candidate selection.

Outgoing Ward County Commissioner Shelly Weppler said she will not request a recount after Monday’s county election vote.

Weppler, who served on the commission for 12 years, came within five votes of Miranda Schuler’s vote total after the poll, leaving a 179-vote gap in the race for the commission’s third seat. An automatic recount of the race required a difference of less than 70 votes.

“I have no intention of requesting a recount outside of what is automatic,” Weppler said.

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

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

The unofficial results of the November 5 general election were also a vindication for Weppler. Weppler received 29 votes, while Schuler received 24, thanks to additional absentee ballots mailed and other withheld ballots accepted for counting by the canvassing committee.

The canvassing board counted 59 additional ballots, bringing the number of Ward County voters to 18,778 for a turnout of 54.38 percent.

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.

The state’s actions have produced the same results in Ward County as they have across the state.

The county’s results from canvassing were as follows:

– Measure 1, changing constitutional language for institutions, passed by 23,491 votes to 4,229.

– Measurement 2, transition to the initiated measurement process, failed 11,573 against 15,379.

– Measure 3, Legacy Fund Amendments, increased from 14,265 to 12,001.

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

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

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