A hearing in front of the Cass County Board of Canvassers Thursday afternoon determined the county commissioner race between current commissioners Ed Goodman and Bob Wagel will go to recount.

Due to redistricting, the county’s Board of Commissioners was reduced from 15 seats to seven, pitting many commissioners against one another in an effort to keep their seat.

The Aug. 7 primary election produced a close tally of 562-560 in favor of Wagel for the first district.

On Aug. 10, Goodman filed a petition for a recount, to which Wagel petitioned against, calling for canvassers to hold a meeting to determine whether a recount was necessary.

“I believe that this recount should go forward,” Goodman said in his statement to the board. “Since 2004, the Cass County Board of Canvassers has stopped only one recount and that was due to the inability to reconcile the number of ballots with the number of voters listed in the poll book.”

Wagel had his attorney, Roosevelt Thomas, present to ask questions regarding recount procedure. After both parties presented their arguments for petitioning, a person of the public offered comment that a recount should be automatically given if the outcome is so closely tallied. Wagel objected to any public comments.

“I was under the impression this was just a hearing between the candidates and the board,” Wagel said. “I don’t think there should be any comment from the gallery.”

Currently, the recount for the commissioners’ race is set for Sept. 4. Both candidates are allowed to be present during the recount.