Just 17 votes separate Quintal and Democrat Lisa Field, a figure that has declined since a 21-vote difference posted on election night. The Quintal campaign believes more votes have not been counted across Taunton and Easton.

On Friday, the campaign filed its intention to seek a recount with the Secretary of State, pausing the certification of the election while signatures from registered voters in the district are collected to initiate the recount.

“Voters in Easton and Taunton deserve a fair election, which is why my campaign has declared its intention to seek a recount. The difference is now down to only 17 voters. We believe that a recount could overturn the results. I will not rest until we are confident that this special election followed the law,” said Quintal, a Taunton city councilor.

“The MassGOP is fully behind Larry’s effort to seek a recount in the election, where more votes continue to be discovered almost daily. Our attorney is working in close coordination with Larry to evaluate voting discrepancies on the ground and petition the Secretary of State to ensure that the correct result is achieved,” said Chair Amy Carnevale.