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Riemers gets a recount

riemers-recount.mp3

A Grand Forks man who ran in the primary for Secretary of State as a Libertarian will get his recount.

The North Dakota Supreme Court made that decision in an opinion issued Friday.

Roland Riemers received 247 votes, as the only Libertarian candidate in the primary election. State law says a party has to receive 300 votes to have its own column in the 2020 Primary election. Riemers argued the recount is based on the percentage received by the highest vote getter, who was Republican Will Gardner. Gardner received over 54,000 votes. Riemers said the 53 votes he needed came within the one percent margin necessary for a recount for his party to have its own column in November.

The Supreme Court agreed, saying a plain reading of the recount statute sides with Riemers.

Justice Lisa McEvers, in a separate but concurring opinion, said she didn’t think the Legislature wanted this kind of thing to happen, but said the Court must stick to the language of the statute, and can’t rule based on the spirit of the law.

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