Recount an exact match: Minnetonka council seat goes to challenger by 3 votes

A recount Tuesday of more than 1,700 votes that were cast early this month in a Minnetonka City Council race matched the initial margin of victory.

And that means Third Ward challenger Brad Schaeppi is the victor by three votes, 879 to 876, over incumbent Council Member Mike Happe.

There also were four write-in votes cast during the Nov. 5 election.

Happe had requested the recount because the margin between him and Schaeppi was less than 0.5%.

In other Minnetonka races, voters elected Brian Kirk and Kissy Coakley to the First and Fourth Ward seats, respectively, and incumbent Susan Carter to at-large seat B.

They also re-elected Rebecca Schack to the Second Ward seat.