A recount for the Portage County Board of Supervisors race revealed a new winner Wednesday and it isn't who they thought it was.

With 21 total votes cast for the position, the original results pronounced University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point junior Eric Folkman the winner with seven write-in votes to university alumnus Eric Krszjzaniek's five. A scattering of other people received remaining votes.

But a recount held at Krszjzaniek's request produced a completely different outcome; Krszjzaniek won the election, tallying eight votes to Folkman's three.

"Of course I'm happy," Krszjzaniek said of winning the District 11 seat. "I'm just shocked at the election results; there was no way they could have got [the original count]."

According to Shirley Simonis, deputy clerk for the Portage County Clerk's Office, both candidates were present at the recount.

"I think everyone in the room was very surprised, but the [new] results were so clear cut," Simonis said. "[Folkman and Krszjzaniek] shook hands, and Folkman congratulated the rightful winner."

Krszjzaniek said Folkman was "a great sport" throughout the ordeal, and Folkman noted he was more disappointed with the handling of the election than not being awarded the board seat.

"I'm more or less disappointed in the fact that they could screw up so bad," he said.

Krszjzaniek also could not understand how the votes were tallied with such irregularity, especially because the ballots were all hand-counted. Those conducting the recount offered him little explanation.

"All they could say was that it was up to the people [at the polling place] — that it was their interpretation," he said. "But I don't know how they could have interpreted them that way. We're both named Eric, but the similarities end there."

Krszjzaniek also noted the handwriting on the ballots was easily legible, eliminating that reasoning for a faulty count.

The new winner, who graduated from UW-Stevens Point last December, expressed excitement with the revised results.

Although Krszjzaniek missed the filing deadline because he was studying abroad in Poland — hence his name not being on the ballot — Krszjzaniek said he passed out cards prior to the election so voters could spell his name in the write-in section.

"I'm interested in politics … and I enjoy the community," he said, emphasizing the importance of bringing a younger voice to the board. "Considering the people who are on the board have been there for 20 or 25 years … there's a huge disconnection from actual voters."

Folkman said while he is still very interested in local government and politics, he is unsure whether he will run for election anytime soon.

"Someday in the future I might consider [running]," he said. "But I don't know after all this."