Alston

Fleming

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Marlo Alston's victory is official in the race for the District 4 seat on Centennial City Council, but Charlette Fleming has requested a recount.

Alston stayed ahead with 34.3 percent of the vote, with Fleming close behind at 34 percent and John Miquel coming in at 31.8 percent, according to certified official results from the Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder's Office on Nov. 21. The race saw 4,813 total votes cast.

It was the closest contest in Centennial's Nov. 7 municipal election by far - decided by only 14 votes - and it didn't warrant a mandatory recount.

By law, a mandatory recount would be held only if the difference between Alston's and Fleming's votes was less than or equal to one-half of 1 percent of the leaders's vote count. That means that if the difference was equal to or less than about 8.2 votes - that's 0.5 percent of Alston's count of 1,649 votes - an automatic recount would be triggered.

But candidates who lose an election can also request a recount, regardless of the margin, at their own expense. Fleming has done so, the clerk and recorder's office said the evening of Nov. 22.

That office plans to include the race along with three other races it will conduct mandatory recounts for beginning at 8 a.m. Nov. 28 at its Elections Facility at 5251 S. Federal Blvd. in Littleton. If there is a delay and the office starts the recounts before Fleming's request is complete and payment is received, she will have to pay the full cost for a recount. Estimates of the cost will come Nov. 27, the office said.

Generally, the deadline for a request for a non-mandatory recount this year is Dec. 8., and those recounts must be completed by Dec. 14.