Minnesota Recount Laws

"Types of Recounts Permitted in Minnesota: An automatic recount of the results of an election for federal office, state constitutional or legislative office, or judicial office will occur if the difference in the number of votes cast for the apparent winning candidate and any other candidate is less than one half of 1 percent (0.5 percent).

"Results of a Recount: The vote totals for each candidate following a recount may be different—in some cases, substantially—from the unofficial results reported on election night. This is often because the recount will turn up ballots that reveal a voter’s intent, but were unable to be read by an optical-scan voting machine. For example, optical-scan voting machines do not register a vote if the voter circles a candidate’s name instead of filling in the oval next to the name; provided the intent is clear upon manual inspection of the ballot, however, the vote is counted as a part of the recount.

"The final results as modified, if necessary, by the recount are considered the final results of the election and are certified as final by the canvassing board." (Author's emphasis) Election Recounts: Federal, State, and Judicial Offices

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/issinfo/ssrecount.htm