Recounts in two close races for the Maine House of Representatives in Waldo County will be held Friday.

Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said Tuesday that the recounts had been requested by two Republican candidates who lost close races to incumbent Democrats in House Districts 96 and 98.

Unofficial results in the House District 96 race between incumbent Rep. Stanley Zeigler, D-Montville, and Republican challenger Katrina Smith show Zeigler winning re-election to a third term by 67 votes, 2,974-2,907. Because the margin is less than 1.5 percent, the results will be recounted at no charge to Smith.

In the House District 98 race, unofficial results show incumbent Rep. Scott Cuddy, D-Winterport, won re-election to a second term over Republican challenger Jessica Connor by 113 votes, 2,710-2,597. Because Cuddy’s margin of victory was 2.13 percent, she will be required to pay a $500 deposit for the cost of the recount, under state law.

That deposit would be refunded if the recount changes the results of the election and gives the victory to Connor.

The recounts will take place one after the other at Dunlap’s offices in the Burton M. Cross office building in Augusta, starting at 9 a.m.  The proceedings are open to the public, but COVID-19 precautions, including physical distancing and facial coverings, are required for those who are present.

Maine law does not provide for automatic recounts, but does allow any candidate to request a recount within five days of an election, provided they pay a deposit on the cost of the recount if the loss is by a margin of more than 1.5 percent.

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