Steckman gains one vote as House District 59 recount completed

MASON CITY — The recount for the Iowa House District 59 election was completed Tuesday afternoon, with incumbent Democrat Sharon Steckman of Mason City picking up one more vote.

Steckman had won the race on election night by a 739-vote margin, 6328-to-5589, over Republican challenger Doug Campbell of Mason City. Campbell days after the election posted on Facebook that he was contesting the race “not because I’m a bad loser but the numbers don’t look right”. He questioned the number of votes cast for the gun rights amendment on the ballot and why he did not have a similar number.

A three-member bipartisan panel started recounting votes on Monday and concluded during the noon hour on Tuesday with the final results showing Steckman’s lead had increased from 739 to 740.

The Board of Supervisors at a meeting in the near future will approve accepting the canvass of the recount.