Upon further review ...

SPIRIT LAKE — Candidate Jonathan Hall has requested that the election offices in Kootenai and Bonner counties recount the votes of a Nov. 7 Spirit Lake Fire District race after he lost by one vote to incumbent Mark Miller.

"One vote is too close to not do a recount," Hall said. "I'm asking that the entirety of the votes (absentee and those cast on Election Day) be counted one last time."

Recounts are rare.

Kootenai County Clerk Jim Brannon said this is the first time one has been requested since he became clerk in December 2013.

After Hall made the request, the votes in Kootenai County for Spirit Lake's Sub-District 2 seat were impounded at the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office on Friday and the tabulating room at the Elections Office was secured with police yellow tape to protect the integrity of the ballots, Brannon said.

"These are just more measures of protecting the sanctity of the vote," Brannon said.

The results became official last week when both counties canvassed the votes. Hall had 200 votes in Kootenai County to Mark Miller's 182. However, Miller had 69 votes in Bonner County to top Hall's 50.

Therefore, Miller edged Hall 251-250.

Brannon said he and Bonner County Clerk Mike Rosedale are coordinating with the Secretary of State Office on the recount.

"We will do our best to recount the results as quickly as we can for the candidates," Brannon said.

Hall said he couldn't make the recount request until after the votes were canvassed and approved by the county commissioners in both counties.

The recount will be conducted within 10 days. It will not cost Hall anything.

Brannon said the tabulators' count of test ballots before elections have been 100 percent accurate since the county purchased the high-tech machines in 2013.

Miller did not return a phone message seeking comment on Monday.

This is the second wrinkle in the Spirit Lake Fire race.

In October, Hall said he believed the district used a candidate filing error he made against him by requesting that he cut back on his campaign.

Hall, however, continued to campaign amid questions about the legitimacy of his candidacy due to securing two additional signatures on his petition to run after it was notarized.

Hall, a volunteer with the fire department, called his paperwork hiccup an honest mistake and notes that the two additional signatures gathered were on the same day the petition was notarized. He said he gathered those signatures because the residents had indicated they wanted to sign it.

He believed he already had enough signatures when the two residents signed — he had six and five were needed. However, in hindsight he said it was a good thing he gathered them because two of the petition signers were eliminated, leaving him with six signatures from qualified local electors.

Kootenai County and Secretary of State officials said that based on their review of the matter, it appeared Hall was a valid candidate.

Hall said he realizes the issue is still "out there," but also believes it's water under the bridge even if he comes out on top after the recount.

"There is a possibility — although I can't see anybody doing it — that it will be contested," he said. "I want to put the whole document mess behind me. It doesn't matter and not germane to the outcome. It's been an honor to participate in a beautiful democracy."

The Spirit Lake Fire race was among three tight races Nov. 7. Steve Anthony edged Bobby Wilhelm 455-448 for Seat 4 on the Post Falls City Council, while Eugene Marano nipped Raymond Watkins 25-24 for Seat 1 of Fernan Lake Village City Council.

However, the Spirit Lake race has been the lone recount request, Brannon said.

The deadline to request a recount is Dec. 4.