A Democrat appears to have flipped a legislative seat in southwest Montana after preliminary election results showed the Republican candidate in the lead.
After election officials counted provisional ballots, which require extra verification due to anomalies, Democrat Scott Rosenzweig overtook Republican Rep. Marty Malone by just 20 votes.
Malone previously represented House District 59, but faced Rosenzweig in a competition for a newly drawn legislative district. House District 57 includes parts of Park and Gallatin counties.
The Montana Secretary of State will certify the results in the coming weeks. With such a slim margin, Malone has five days to request a recount if he wants one, but he'd have to cover the cost.
Rosenzweig’s apparent win adds to the Democrats' legislative caucus, which has increased by 10 seats since the last legislative session.
