YOUR VOICE, YOUR VOTE: Seven votes separate race for State Representative District 16, recount triggered

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Just seven votes separate the race for Colorado's House District 16. It's a razor-thin margin that will trigger a mandatory recount.

Republican Rebecca Keltie was in the lead as of late Thursday evening, with 20,640 votes. Democrat Stephanie Vigil, the incumbent, had 20,633 votes. Vigil was elected in 2022.

According to El Paso County Clerk and Recorder, Steve Schleiker, the Secretary of State is expected to order a re-count next week, which will re-tabulate every ballot in El Paso County, a process that will cost an estimated $20,000 and 70 hours total, given the need to re-hire and pay adjudication and tabulation judges. The Secretary of State's Office will reimburse 45 percent of that cost, thanks to an allocation per state law.

After votes are tallied again, the count still needs to go through a risk-limiting audit.

Schleiker estimated that a winner would be declared by the first week of December.