Following a race that had more than 21,500 votes cast and was separated by fewer than 130, Republican Les Fossel will seek a recount.

Fossel, R-Alna, lost to incumbent Chris Johnson, D-Somerville, 10,824-10,698 in the Senate District 20 race. Fossel said there were three reasons behind his decision to ask for a recount.

Senate District 20 includes Alna, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Edgecomb, Hibberts Gore, Jefferson, Monhegan Island Plantation, Newcastle, Nobleboro, Somerville, South Bristol, Southport, Waldoboro, Westport Island, Whitefield, Wiscasset, Friendship, Washington and Windsor.

“The first is we obviously want to make sure all the results are accurate,” he said. “A lot of towns switched to voting machines for the first time.”

Fossel said the second reason he is seeking a recount is to reward the people who worked on his campaign.

“They need to know the results are accurate,” he said.

The third reason is because Fossel said he believes his opponents didn't run a fair campaign.

“The democrats ran a spectacularly dirty campaign,” he said. “They ran mailers and printed letters in (The Boothbay Register) that were filled with lies.”

Fossel said that his record was unfairly attacked and represented a disturbing trend in Maine. He said that if the “dirty” campaigning worked then there is little reason for other campaigns to run clean races.

“That's not going to help the state,” he said. “That's what's so upsetting.”

Johnson said he was expecting a recount.

“It was sort of like the other shoe dropping,” he said. “I heard unofficially that Les was considering a recount so it isn't a surprise.”

Johnson said he heard overseas ballots were finally counted and reportedly gave him a 38-vote bump, to separate the two by more than 160 votes.

“I'm not too worried about a vote tally that large,” Johnson said. “We will see what happens.”

The recount, which will be conducted by the Maine Secretary of State, will happen 9 a.m., Nov. 20.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Maine Secretary of State had received nine other candidates asking for a recount.

There were eight requested recounts for house races and another requested recount for a senate race.

In the House 80 race, which covered Litchfield, Monmouth and Wales Republican Melvin Newendyke won the election with 2,459 votes to Democrat Rachel Sukeforth's 2,454.

Republican Amy Volk won House seat 127 which covers parts of Scarborough by five votes, 2,725-2,720 over Democrat Paul Aranson.

Republican Timothy Turner requested a recount after Democrat Teresea Hayes won House seat 94, 2,260-2,226. House seat 94 covers Buckfield, Hartford, Paris and Sumner.

In the House seat 70 race, which covers portions of Auburn and Lewiston, Democrat Wayne Werts won over Republican Bruce Bickford by two votes – 2,268 to 2,266.

In the House 144 race, Republican Daniel John Archambault requested a recount after winner William Noon won 2,398-2,379. House seat 144 covers Acton, Lebanon and Sanford.

Republican Susan Austin requested a recount in the House 109 race (Gray, North Yarmouth, Pownal) after Democrat Anne Graham won, 2,770-2,728.

In the House seat 45 race, which covers Burnham, Freedom, Knox, Montville, Palermo, Thorndike, Troy and Unity, Republican Ryan Harmon requested a recount after losing to Democrat Brian Jones, 2,252 to 2,219.

Republican Susan Morissette requested a recount after losing the House 54 seat (Benton and Winslow) to Democrat Catherine Nadeau, 2,176 to 2,142.

The only senate race to have a recount is Senate seat 17, which covers Livermore, Livermore Falls, Leeds, Turner, Minot, Mechanic Falls, Greene, Wales, Sabattus and Lisbon. In the Senate 17 race, Republican Garrett Paul Mason won, 9,766 to 9,716 over Democrat Colleen Quint, who is requesting a recount.

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 844-0711 or bbulkeley@boothbayregister.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BBRegisterBen.