Board Member Natalie Hebert submitted the written petition earlier this week, according to an email from Meghan Cone, the district’s assistant director of communications.
Unofficial results from the Collin County Elections Department and the Denton County Elections Administration show Hebert lost the Place 2 election by 0.35%, or 53 votes, to real estate broker Marvin Lowe on May 7.
Under Texas election law, candidates may request a recount if the difference of the number of votes between the petitioner and the person elected is less than 10% of the total votes received by the person elected.
Lowe received 5,989 votes. Because the difference between Hebert and Lowe's results is less than 10% of Lowe's total votes, or 598.9, Hebert may petition for a recount.
“The election results from Saturday were a little too close for comfort,” said Hebert, who has served on the board since 2019, in a Facebook post. “After much contemplation, I agree that a recount is warranted for the integrity of the election and to ensure we have ended with the correct outcome.”
As of May 12, a recount has not yet been scheduled or ordered, Cone said. A review of Hebert’s petition found “minor technical errors” that must be corrected before a recount can proceed.
“These errors were unrelated to the grounds cited in the petition for a recount,” Cone said in the email. “Ms. Hebert has been advised of these errors and provided the opportunity to submit an amended petition for review.”
Once the district receives an amended petition, another review will take place within 48 hours, Cone said. If the petition meets the required criteria, the district will schedule a recount for Place 2.
Cone said the district expects to share more information on its website if a recount is ordered.
Editor's note: This post has been edited to correct the explanation of Texas election law. Candidates may request a recount if the difference of the number of votes between the petitioner and the person elected is less than 10% of the total votes received by the person elected.
