When there is confusion and computer errors in elections decided by large margins, few people pay attention. When mix-ups and computer errors occur during very close races, everyone seems to notice.

“Sherburne County intends to conduct a hand recount of votes in certain races, at the county’s expense, to confirm the accuracy of the election results,” Sherburne County election officials said in a statement. “Contrary to rumors circulating, no vote was “lost” and none was “found”. All ballots cast during the general election were properly and legally received, documented, counted and the chain of custody was maintained…”

The statement came in response to Republican Party officials questioning the results of a key House race in the St. Cloud area District 14B, whose results frequently changed on election night, even after that it appeared that 100% of the votes had been counted.

At one point on election night, Democratic incumbent Rep. Dan Wolgamot had a 552-vote lead, with 80 percent of precincts reporting. An hour later, with the secretary of state’s website showing 100 percent of the votes counted, Republican challenger Sue Ek had a four-vote lead. A few minutes later, Wolgamott gained 28 votes. Once the ballot scanning errors were corrected, Wolgamott’s lead stood at 191 votes. That lead is outside the minimum margin for an automatic recount, but Sherburne County says it will conduct a manual recount at the county’s expense to assure voters that the totals are correct.

“The errors and discrepancies we have seen during this cycle are intolerable and unacceptable,” Republican Speaker-elect Lisa Demuth said in a statement released over the weekend. “Free and fair elections require that the process be brought to light. These incidents fuel distrust and raise questions about the integrity and accuracy of election results.

“Some vote totals could not be uploaded to the Secretary of State’s website on election night,” the Sherburne County release said. “The ballots that could not be uploaded were absentee ballots received up to 8 p.m. on election night, accepted by a bipartisan voting committee, properly processed, counted and included in the tabulations print and electronic media generated in Sherburne County on election night. The county’s failed upload to the Secretary of State’s Election Reporting System (ERS) was due to an improperly erased or partially damaged memory card that did not fully collect and transmit the results of some of the ballots by correspondence processed. This resulted in inaccurate unofficial election results for Sherburne County being displayed to the public on the Secretary of State’s Election Night Reporting website.

There was also confusion on election night in House District 54A, in the Shakopee area.

Democratic incumbent Rep. Brad Tabke led Republican Aaron Paul by 14 votes. However, at one point on election night it appeared that Paul had a 360 vote lead with 100% of precincts reporting. Minutes later, the Secretary of State’s website went completely blank when the initial vote totals were recalled. Scott County officials say an upload error made it appear as if 100 percent of votes had been reported when only 35 of 54 precincts actually were.

When all results were in, Tabke was 14 votes ahead. That’s close enough for a taxpayer-funded automatic recount.