AUGUSTA – A recount in the District 1 commissioner’s race in Oxford County has confirmed Republican incumbent Steve Merrill as the winner.

Democratic challenger Charleen Chase of Bethel requested the recount after initial returns showed her trailing Merrill by 25 votes, 5,351 to 5,376.

Don Cookson, spokesman for the Maine Secretary of State’s Office, said Merrill received 5,404 votes to Chase’s 5,360.

Merrill of Norway, who works in sales at Maine Homecrafters, has served as a county commissioner for 14 years.

“I told Charlene today that when she came over to congratulate me that it was just like going to a ball game,” Merrill said Wednesday evening of the close race. “I thought it was very well-run. I thought her team did a good job too.”

Chase, a former executive director of Community Concepts, was running for the seat for the first time.

“I want to congratulate Steve on his re-election,” Chase said Wednesday night.

“It continued to be a very close race and we both appreciated the opportunity to run, and this competitive race has been a service to the community,” she said.

“I would continue to urge the county commissioners to move forward with greater collaboration with the municipalities as they have done with their regional meetings. And in these tough economic times we’ll all need to pull together to assure we have the least negative impact to our region,” she said.

District 1 serves 12 towns in southwestern Oxford County, as well as Batchelder’s Grant, Mason Township and a portion of Albany Township.

On Thursday, the Secretary of State’s Office will conduct a recount in the race for Oxford County register of probate. Republican incumbent Tom Winsor trails Democratic challenger Bruce Rood 15,130 to 14,778 in initial results.