GREENVILLE TWP — A close contest between two candidates in the November 3 election is headed for a recount.

The Darke County Board of Elections announced Wednesday that it will conduct a recount of the race for the Greenville Township Board of Trustees seat being vacated by Bill Kelly.

After the final counting of provisional ballots, there remains an 8-vote differential between top vote-getter Matt Kolb (1,632 votes) and the next closest candidate Jeremy Edger (1,624 votes).

A total of 4,804 votes were cast in the November 3 race. As the difference between Kolb and Edger was less than one half of one percent of the total vote, it triggers an automatic recount.

The recount will be conducted November 24. Whichever candidate is determined to have the most votes at that point, regardless of the difference, will be declared the winner and sworn in Jan. 1, 2016, to begin a four-year term on the township board.

Darke County Board of Elections Director Becky Martin informed The Daily Advocate that both Kolb and Edger were notified today of the upcoming recount. Edger does have the option to concede the race to Kolb if he so desires.

Third-place candidate Geoff Surber received 1,548 votes and is out of the running.