Welch lines up watchers for schools race recount

State schools superintendent runner-up Sandy Welch is expected to wait until next week to request a recount in a race she narrowly lost but has pledged to challenge.
    
Campaign spokesman Mitch Staley says the Republican candidate needs more time to line up recount observers for each of Montana's 56 counties.
    
The Secretary of State's office plans to officially certify the Nov. 6 election results late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
    
Welch then has five days to request a recount. Unofficial results have her trailing incumbent Denise Juneau by 2,264 votes.
    
County officials say it could take a week to hand count the roughly half-million ballots that were cast on Election Day.
    
The Montana Republican Party has pledged to pick up the bulk of the $115,000 cost of the effort.