Recount affirms Olsen win over Barry in Wisconsin's 2nd District race
MADISON, Wis. — A recount completed Monday of the Republican primary for south-central Wisconsin's 2nd District reaffirmed the leading candidate's narrow victory.
Results before the recount had attorney Erik Olsen defeating landscaping supervisor Charity Barry by 74 votes in the 2nd Congressional District. After the recount, Olsen was ahead by 63 votes out of more than 43,000 cast.
Olsen will face Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan in the heavily Democratic district that covers six counties in south-central Wisconsin, including Dane County.
The recount results are unofficial until certified by the Wisconsin Elections Commission chair. The commission has not determined when the results will be certified, said commission spokesperson John Smalley. But he said it likely will not be on Tuesday when all other races in the Aug. 9 primary are set to be certified.
Olsen said local elections officials who ran the recount did an "absolutely great job" and most of the changes were due to voters not completely filling in the oval for who they voted for, resulting in the machine not registering it.
Barry gained 14 votes in the recount while Olsen picked up three, narrowing his win by 11 votes.
Barry did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
