A Republican candidate for the Sedgwick County Commission is requesting a recount of last week’s primary votes.
Shortly after the Board of Canvassers certified election results Tuesday, Hugh Nicks turned in the paperwork to start recount proceedings in his race against Commissioner Richard Ranzau. The two faced each other in the Republican primary for the commission's 4th District seat.
Final tallies show Nicks came within 75 votes, or about 1 percentage point, of his opponent, receiving 3,438 votes; Ranzau received 3,513.
Nicks is formally requesting a hand recount of all ballots cast in the race. In a letterto Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Tabitha Lehman, he also asked that Ranzau recuse himself from the recount panel.
"His presence in tabulating the recount would smack of impropriety," Nicks wrote.
He included a check for $1000 as surety bond for the recount.
The final winner will face Democrat Lacey Cruse in the November general election.
Follow Nadya Faulx on Twitter @NadyaFaulx. To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.
