DENVER, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Republican Bob Beauprez was declared the winner on Tuesday of the new 7th Congressional seat, following a recount of the last undecided race of the 2002 elections. Beauprez defeated Democrat Mike Feeley by a slim 121 votes.
Beauprez received 81,789 votes to Feeley's 81,668 for the seat, which represents the suburban Denver district. Colorado Secretary of State Donetta Davidson waited to announce the results until a recount was conducted by the three counties that comprise the 7th district.
The recount was required by law because of the closeness of the vote.
Beauprez's victory victory gives the Republicans in the House of Representatives 229 seats to the Democrats' 204, with one independent and a seat in Hawaii still to be determined.
Hawaii voters will choose a replacement for the late Rep. Patsy Mink on Jan. 4.
On Election Day, Beauprez led by 386 votes. Clerks in the three counties were ordered by Denver District Judge William Robbins to count every qualified provisional ballot.
With those votes counted, Beauprez led Feeley by 122 votes. He lost a single vote in the recount.
The election was the first time that provisional ballots -- those cast by voters whose names weren't on election rolls -- were counted.
