“We’re not going to get rolled this time,” Sutton said. He called it unusual that Emmer trailed even as Republicans knocked off an 18-term Democratic member of Congress and took control of both houses of the Legislature, a first since state lawmakers started organizing by political party in 1972.

“Something doesn’t smell right,” Sutton said.

Much lies in the balance. With the Republican legislative takeover, Dayton is the Democrats’ only hope of preventing likely deep cuts to state spending sought by Emmer to head off a looming budget deficit of $5.8 billion for 2011-12. If Republicans control both the legislative and executive branches, they could maximize political gain in the upcoming process by which legislative and congressional district lines get redrawn.

An extended Pawlenty term could have financial ramifications for the state. In May, Pawlenty struck a deal with legislative Democrats that gave his successor until Jan. 15 to decide whether the state should accept more than $1 billion tied to the federal health care law in exchange for expanded medical coverage for the poor. Pawlenty opposed the health care bill and previously refused the money.

Dayton said Wednesday that accepting it would be one of his first acts as governor and that the recount should be able to move quickly enough so that the next governor is sworn in on Jan. 3.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie — a Democrat who was re-elected Tuesday night despite GOP criticisms of his handling of the Senate recount — said Wednesday’s election was “extremely smooth” and without irregularities.

County canvassing boards will review results and report to the state canvassing board on Nov. 23. If the margin after the board meets is less than half a percentage point, it would trigger an automatic recount at taxpayers’ expense. If the margin exceeds that percentage, the losing candidate could request a recount but would have to pay for it.

Minneapolis resident John H. Owens Jr., a 59-year-old retired military veteran, said he voted for Dayton but considered all the candidates “good men” who deserve a full and thorough vote count even if it takes some time. But he quickly added he hoped a recount would not bog down in trivialities.

“Just don’t start telling me that the little mark on this ballot was a millionth of an inch outside the circle so this one doesn’t count,” Owens said. “Let’s not do that again.”