Candidates drop recount efforts in Democratic races

By Cy Ryan

Published Tuesday, June 24, 2014 | 9:39 a.m.

Updated Tuesday, June 24, 2014 | 6:05 p.m.

CARSON CITY — Three losing Democratic candidates have dropped their requests for a recount of primary election results after being advised of upfront costs.

Secretary of State Scott Gilles said Tuesday that gubernatorial candidates Stephen Frye and Frederick Conquest decided against pursuing a recount after being told they would have to deposit more than $8,000 each to cover the cost of counting of the ballots in 5 percent of the precincts.

Gilles said both candidates informed him by email they were dropping their demands. Frye would have had to pay $8,944 and Conquest was required to deposit $8,746. The cost to Frye was higher because he wanted the recount in more counties.

Vance Alm, the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Congress in District 2 that covers 11 counties, did not file the required $8,378 with the Secretary of State’s Office by the 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline.

Gilles said the three candidates had initially asked for a recount.

Frye received 11.3 percent of the vote, trailing winner Robert Goodman who accumulated 24.7 percent in the Democratic race for governor.

Conquest received 2.5 percent.

Although Goodman won the nomination, he was behind “none of these candidates,” which tallied 29.9 percent.

Alm got 15 percent of the vote in Congressional District 2; Kristen Spees won the Democratic nomination with 38.9 percent.