Lee initially called for a recount after Kinnaird defeated him in the election by 114 votes. By state law, a losing candidate can request a recount if the vote margin is less than 1 percent of the total votes cast.
Lee said he insisted on holding the first recount because of the probability of miscounting. He wanted to make sure no votes had been missed, he said.
Lee said he will announce today whether he wants to demand a manual recount or to throw in the towel. He said that he has not thought ahead as to what he will do in the future if he decides against another recount.
Kinnaird said another recount will exhaust her. She said she has, for now, put her general election campaign plans on hold to accommodate Lee's requests. She added that if she is again successful against Lee, the remaining part of her campaign period will not be as formidable as the past part.
Kinnaird said the campaign was difficult for her and for her constituents. "It has not been an easy or happy campaign running against such a widely admired person," she said.
Kinnaird and Lee were forced to run against each other after an attempt at legislative redistricting resulting in a court case and delayed primaries.
The primary election was originally scheduled for May 7.
Kinnaird found it interesting that she won by more than 1,000 votes in Orange County yet lost by slightly fewer than 1,000 votes in Chatham County. Kinnaird said she was surprised the primary election boiled down to an "urban-rural dispute."
Kinnaird said she suggested that Lee might have conducted polls in Chatham County to see what issues were important, helping him gain the rural vote that, in previous years, had not played such an important role.
"It's been a strange year," she said.
If Lee does not contest Monday's recount results, Kinnaird said she will continue to fight for the issues that affect her supporters. "I will continue what I've brought all along," she said. "I have a great responsibility to the constituency. I will promote the public policy that is important for all the people."
Lee said it is hard to say what Kinnaird can accomplish as the single representative in the Senate from the area. "A great deal will be lost. The district will be out of a strong position of advantage and the strongest representative in the legislature."
Lee also said the end of the partnership between him and Kinnaird is not as important as what would be lost if he is no longer in the position. "I won't have feelings of sadness or depression," he said. "But I am grateful for the opportunity to serve."
The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.
