Colorado race heads to automatic recount as Republican holds six-vote lead

A Colorado state representative race where the Republican candidate appears to have won by six votes has triggered an automatic recount, according to the Colorado Secretary of State's office.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold ordered the District 16 Colorado House of Representatives race in El Paso County to conduct a mandatory recount. This happens in all races decided by fewer than 0.5%, the release said.

El Paso County must complete this recount by Friday, Dec. 6, according to the release.

With the votes tabulated, Republican Rebecca Keltie has 20,641 votes, while Democrat Stephanie Vigil has 20,635. The 0.02% margin of victory for Keltie (50.01% to 49.99%) meets the criteria for an automatic recount.

If Keltie maintains her lead in the recount, it is a flip for the Republican Party. Vigil won the seat in 2022 after an unsuccessful bid in 2020.

Keltie told KOAA News earlier this month that she felt confident she would win the race, even with the recount.

"I never count my chickens before they hatch," Keltie told KOAA. "I may lose a vote. She may gain one. Vice versa. I don't see it changing more than maybe one or two."

Keltie served in the U.S. Navy for 21 years and ran on opposing illegal immigration, cutting taxes, supporting parental rights in education, helping small businesses and veterans, and protecting gun rights, according to her campaign website.

Meanwhile, Vigil ran on supporting abortion and LGBTQ rights, gun control, driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, and environmental policies, according to her website. One bill she touted required schools to call transgender-identifying students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 schools by their preferred name and deemed it discriminatory to refuse to do it.