Congressional election observers deploy to Iowa for recount in uncalled House race

Congressional election observers are being deployed to Iowa to monitor the recount in an uncalled House race. 

The House Committee on Administration, which provides oversight of federal elections, announced on X that “Congressional Election Observers are being deployed to Iowa to observe the recount of the First Congressional District race.” 

Chairman Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wisc., “is committed to ensuring an accurate count of all legal ballots,” the committee’s GOP leadership said. 

“We must make sure that every legal ballot is counted accurately,” Steil added in a statement. “This Congress, we recruited a record number of Congressional Election Observers and continue to run the most robust Program in the history of the House to ensure fairness and accuracy in our election results. I want to thank each of our Election Observers and my colleagues for sharing their staff’s time as a commitment to strengthening our elections.”

Democrat Christina Bohannan’s campaign on Thursday requested the recount in her bid against Republican incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks to represent Iowa’s 1st District. The initial tally puts Bohannan fewer than 1,000 votes — less than a percentage point — behind Miller-Meeks.

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Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, speaks with local farmers on the Barn Talk podcast on the Whisler family farm near Washington, Iowa, Nov. 1, 2024.  (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP FILE)

The contest is a much tighter rematch of 2022, when Miller-Meeks won by 7 percentage points. Miller-Meeks earned a first term in Congress representing Iowa’s 2nd District when she defeated Democrat Rita Hart by just six votes in 2020.

Miller-Meeks has declared victory and said she was confident in her lead.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Miller-Meeks’ campaign accused Bohannan and other Democrats of being “election deniers.”

“This is a delaying tactic to thwart the will of the people,” the statement said. “A recount won’t meaningfully change the outcome of this race as the congresswoman’s lead is mathematically impossible to overcome.”

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Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., addresses a campaign rally on Aug. 20, 2024 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, alongside Vice Presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio. (Andy Manis/Getty Images)

Bohannan’s campaign said in a statement that the recount will make certain “that every voter is heard,” but that they have “full trust in this process and will accept the results regardless of the outcome.”

Steil’s announcement comes as part of a GOP poll watcher program launched by the House in September in the party’s push for election security. 

Eight weeks before the election, the House Committee on Administration moved to boost accountability efforts at the polls for more than a dozen House races expected to come down to razor-thin margins through the Election Observer Program. Congressional staffers were eligible to volunteer for a training program that would set them up to be poll watchers to then be sent out to districts, not including their own, if requested by a congressional candidate in a close race.

Democratic nominee for Iowa’s 1st congressional district Christina Bohannan waves to supporters during an election night watch party at Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City, Iowa, Nov. 5, 2024.  (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP File)

Republican incumbents held onto Iowa’s three other congressional seats, including the competitive 3rd District where Zach Nunn fended off a challenge from Democrat Lanon Baccam.

Republican incumbents Ashley Hinson in the 2nd District and Randy Feenstra in the 4th District won decisively. Hinson defeated Democrat Sarah Corkery. Feenstra defeated Democrat Ryan Melton.

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Republicans so far have won enough seats to control the House, completing the party’s sweep into power and securing their hold alongside President-elect Trump.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and the Associated Press contributed to this report.