Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s lead in the Republican primary for governor dropped by more than half to 91 votes after a county clerk discovered a discrepancy in the state’s unofficial results.
The discrepancy was with the results in Thomas County, where County Clerk Shelly Harms said Colyer got 522 votes — not the 422 votes he was listed as having received on the Secretary of State’s website.
Harms shared with CNN the document she faxed the Secretary of State’s office on election night listing Colyer’s total as 522. She said she hadn’t had time to inform the Secretary of State’s office that its unofficial result total was inaccurate.
Kobach, as secretary of state, is Kansas’ chief elections official.
He is known nationally for his advocacy for restrictive voting laws. He led President Donald Trump’s commission that investigated Trump’s false claim that millions of votes were cast illegally in the 2016 election, and has backed up Trump’s claim despite never producing evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Any candidate in the race can request a recount in individual counties — but most post a bond to cover the cost of the recount. Those recount requests must be filed with the Kansas Secretary of State’s office by August 17. Kobach said in a news conference Wednesday that he would not recuse himself should Colyer seek a recount, which would begin on the county level before being certified by Kobach’s office.
County canvassing boards have until August 21 to complete their canvasses. The Secretary of State’s Board of Canvassers must then certify the official results by August 31.
