The Gilpin County Republican Party has formally requested a recount for the District 1 and District 3 commissioner races following the November 2024 general election. Their request stemmed from narrow margins in both contests.
In District 1,...
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GILPIN COUNTY - The Gilpin County Republican Party has formally requested a recount for the District 1 and District 3 commissioner races following the November 2024 general election. Their request stemmed from narrow margins in both contests.
In District 1, Democratic candidate Jeff Aiken won with 1,870 votes, defeating Republican candidate Marie Mornis, who received 1,650 votes. The margin of 220 votes, or 5.48% of the 4,012 votes cast, was outside the threshold for an automatic recount under Colorado law.
In District 3, Democratic candidate Sandy Hollingsworth earned 2,024 votes, defeating Republican Corey Marshall by 110 votes, or 2.79% of the 3,938 votes cast.
Commissioner Marie Mornis, the Republican candidate in District 1, told The Mountain-Ear that the Gilpin County Republican Party submitted a formal request for a hand recount. According to Mornis, Gilpin County Clerk and Recorder Sahari McCormick stated that hand recounts are “illegal.”
McCormick addressed the request in a written response, saying, “Thank you for submitting your request for a hand recount for the District 1 Commissioner Race. Per the state’s election rules, we do not do hand recounts.”
Colorado law allows for recounts to be requested if the margin of victory is greater than 0.5% of the total votes cast, but the requesting party must cover the cost unless the recount changes the outcome. However, these recounts must be carried out using the same equipment and process as the original count to maintain consistency and ensure accuracy.
The Colorado Secretary of State’s office highlights the integrity of the election process through robust post-election audits, the certification of election equipment, and strict recount protocols. These measures ensure transparency and maintain public trust in the electoral system.
McCormick responded that both Mornis and candidate Corey Marshall requested a recount, by hand, which the County will not perform per state statute.
However, December 2 was the deadline to pay for any recount, which was not done.
The Republican Committee would have had until the December 10 to complete a recount, but that is moot at this juncture, and the issue is closed. There are several counties in the state that are conducting mandatory recounts, but Gilpin is not one of them, as none of our races were close enough to trigger a mandatory recount.
