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Recount expected after Iowa Mayor wins by one vote

Blue Grass, Iowa incumbent Mayor Brinson Kinzer defeated his opponent Tim Brandenburg by one vote.

Blue Grass, Iowa incumbent Mayor Brinson Kinzer defeated his opponent Tim Brandenburg by one vote.

The results showed that Mayor Kinzer received 169 votes and his opponent received 168.

Initially, Brandenburg had won by a single vote at the polls. But Kinzer had two more absentee votes than Brandenburg, securing Kinzer's re-election.

Both candidates differ politically, but shared the same reaction after the election.

"I was very surprised. I knew it would be close but I didn't think it would be by one vote," said Kinzer.

Brandenburg didn't believe the results when first hearing them.

"I was kind of blown away, like, 'Is this going to be real?'" Brandenburg said.

Roxanna Moritz of the Scott County Auditor's Office emphasized the importance voting can have in local government.

"Every single vote counts, and those absentees are so important to make sure that you get them in," she continued, "fortunately in Blue Grass all of them were in."

But with only one vote separating the candidates, a recount is likely.

Brandenburg has until three days after November 13th to officially request the recount.

That's when the votes will be certified.

Brandenburg says he will be asking for a recount.

Mayor Kinzer said he is not going to get too comfortable with his victory until a recount is  finalized.

Nearly half of the registered voters in Blue Grass cast ballots in Tuesday's election.  Brandenburg says he thinks that makes a statement about how the community is reacting to the current mayor.

"You're never comfortable when winning by just one vote," said Kinzer. "If I am officially re-elected, I am going to repair what feelings or concerns the community felt that I didn't address in my first four years."

For now, both candidates can just wait. But when this election is over, it will go down in history.

For more Iowa election coverage -- click here.

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