Garden Grove’s incumbent Mayor Bruce Broadwater is seeking a recount after Tuesday’s certification of votes showed him losing to his challenger, Bao Nguyen.

The six-year mayor ended election night more than 300 votes ahead of Nguyen, but that lead continued to dwindle as the county Registrar of Voters counted outstanding paper ballots two weeks after the election.

Any voter can request a recount, but they are also responsible for paying the cost. Registrar Neal Kelley estimated a recount in Garden Grove would cost $1,200 per day for 8 people to count votes, over five to seven days.

Broadwater said he would use up any remaining campaign funds before dipping into his own money.

He said this is the first time he has faced such a close race.

“I have lost three races in my life. Now this will be the fourth. So losing is not new to me,” Broadwater said. “I felt very bad the first time, and I’ve never felt bad after that.”

“I vote the way I vote – and if someone doesn’t like it, so be it,” he said.

Broadwater said he wouldn’t run again if the recount doesn’t change the election’s outcome.

“No, I don’t think so. I shouldn’t have run this time — I’m 76,” he said.

The recount will begin at 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 24 at the Registrar of Voters office, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C, Santa Ana.