Matson Requests Recount in Close Senate Race
Democrat Aaron Matson trails Republican Chris Karr by 35 votes in the District 11 Senate contest in southwest Sioux Falls.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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Democrat Aaron Matson filed a recount request on Thursday afternoon after losing the District 11 Senate race to Republican incumbent Chris Karr by 35 votes. The race drew 8,385 votes in total, and the filing came three days after Tuesday's state canvass of election results.
Why it matters
Under South Dakota law, a losing candidate may request a recount when the gap does not exceed 2% of total votes cast in a Senate race, and the request could affect which party holds the seat. Pending the outcome, the partisan split for next year's Legislature in Sioux Falls and across the state is projected at 92 Republicans, 12 Democrats and one independent.
Karr leads Matson by 35 votes out of 8,385 cast, which falls within the 2% threshold that allows a recount in Senate races. The recount must be completed within 14 days of the petition's filing, and the outcome remains unresolved until it is finished.
The players
Chris Karr
Chris Karr is a Republican incumbent and the chamber's president pro tempore, currently leading the District 11 Senate race by 35 votes.
Aaron Matson
Aaron Matson is a Democrat who lost the District 11 Senate race to Karr by 35 votes and filed the recount request.
The details
A recount board appointed by a local judge will conduct the review, consisting of a Republican attorney serving as recount referee and one member each from the Republican and Democratic parties. The District 11 race covers southwest Sioux Falls, and the remaining four candidates whose races met the threshold do not intend to request recounts.
Timeline
Nov. 3: Legislative election held, with several close races across the state.
Tuesday, Nov. 11: State canvass of election results took place.
Thursday, Nov. 13: Matson filed the recount request.
Within 14 days of the petition's filing: The recount must be completed.
Legislative Policy
The Matson request applies South Dakota's 2% recount threshold, which lets losing candidates challenge results when the margin is narrow relative to total votes cast. Its outcome will determine whether the partisan balance of the Legislature shifts in the next session.
For Sioux Falls voters in District 11, the recount outcome decides which candidate represents them in the Senate next session. The result will also set the Legislature's partisan balance, which affects how bills affecting local residents move through Pierre.
The takeaway
Close margins can still trigger formal review, so tracking the recount timeline is the clearest way to know which candidate will hold the District 11 seat.
What happens next
The recount must be completed within 14 days of the petition's filing, which will determine whether Karr's 35-vote lead holds.
Further reading
For more on how election rules shape legislative outcomes, see Legislative Policy coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Argus Leader.
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