COLORADO SPRINGS — In a historic recall election Tuesday, voters ousted state Senate President John Morse over his support of tougher gun laws passed earlier this year.

Morse thanked and urged fellow lawmakers to continue fighting Tuesday as results showed he would lose his job.

“It has been an honor to represent the 11th Senate District,” said Morse, who is the first Colorado lawmaker to be recalled and thrown out of office. “It’s been hugely rewarding.”

With almost 100 percent of votes counted in the historic recall election of Morse, returns show 51 percent have voted “yes” and 49 percent “no.”

Morse called the legislative session where he and Democratic colleagues passed stricter new gun laws a successful one.

“We as the Democratic Party will continue to fight,” Morse said.

He added: “The highest rank in a democracy is citizen, not Senate President, so soon, along with many of you, I will hold that rank and there’s nothing citizens can’t accomplish when they put their minds to accomplishing it.”

Hugs and tears were plentiful in the ballroom at his election night party Tuesday.

Republican Bernie Herpin, who won Tuesday night’s recall election addressed a crowd of about 75 supporters in a cramped room at the El Paso County GOP Headquarters.

“Thank you to the voters in Senate District 11, thank you for supporting the recall and for giving me a chance to serve you. thank you for standing up to yourselves and demanding to be heard,” Herpin said in his victory speech.

He added: “This election was about defending the constitution, standing up for our rights and deciding how best to let us decide how to defend ourselves.”

The Republican crowd became emotional after hearing Morse had conceded, with cheering and wild applause breaking out as soon as the announcement had been made.

Herpin supporter Calandra Varga said she had been working all summer getting information to voters about the recall, and fought back tears as she talked about Herpin winning the recall.

“I’m more excited Morse is out,” Varga said. “I think we’re replacing a very authoritarian style of leadership with someone who is more approachable.”

The ouster of Morse comes after months of legal spats, millions of dollars in donations and a barrage of intense TV and radio advertisements.

“Tonight is a victory for the people of the State of Colorado, who have been subject to the overreach of a Democrat agenda on guns, taxes, and accountability to the people,” said Tim Knight, Founder of the Basic Freedom Defense Fund. “Since day one, they said it couldn’t be done. Tonight, this is a victory for the people of Colorado, and we share this victory with them.”

There are currently

69,481 active voters registered in Morse’s district.

Democrats comprise 34 percent of the district, while unaffiliated voters are the largest group with 38 percent.

“Our turnout is well below what we expected,” said Morse, while speaking to the press at his election night watch party at a downtown Colorado Springs hotel earlier in the evening. “Certainly low turnout is worse for me than high turnout.”

Morse spent much of his time knocking on doors Tuesday and said that despite the low turnout he remained optimistic.

“I think there are an awful lot of Republicans who do think this recall is ridiculous and will vote against it,” said Morse of a recall election that is a litmus test of sorts in the national debate over gun-control legislation.

Colorado College on Tuesday afternoon shuttled students to-and-from a downtown polling location so that they could cast ballots. A majority of the students were Democrats and voting against the recall.

“I’ve grown up in the age of Columbine and the Aurora theater shooting, and John Morse has stood up to the NRA,” said Sachin Mathur, a freshman at Colorado College, who is a Democrat from Castle Rock. “He did what was right.”

Morse and Democrats passed laws that limit ammunition magazines to 15 rounds and require universal background checks on all gun sales and transfers.

Jay Benson was among a steady stream of people flowed into the downtown voting center Tuesday.

“It’s not just necessarily for the gun votes, although it is important to be able to have as much ammunition in a gun as you want,” said Benson, a Republican.

Benson cast a vote for Herpin, Morse’s only opponent on the ballot.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Herpin said earlier Tuesday from the El Paso County GOP headquarters.

In a backroom underneath an American flag, 12 volunteers manned the phone banks as other volunteers kept an eye on their computers waiting for updates on turnout numbers.

After calling voters earlier in the afternoon, Herpin spent the evening hunkered down in an office away from volunteers.

El Paso County taxpayers are slated to pay about $190,000 for the recall election, according to the clerk’s office.

House Speaker Mark Ferrandino has canvassed in both El Paso County and Pueblo. Ferrandino said that despite Morse’s ouster from office the party still remains in control of both legislative chambers.

“Democrats still control the House, still control the Senate and when you look at we do have the support,” Ferrandino insisted.

Staff writer Austin Briggs contributed to this report.

Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, klee@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kurtisalee