University Place Mayor Ken Grassi advanced in a recount today to the November general election for the District 4 seat on the Pierce County Council.

Grassi, a Republican, finished 43 votes ahead of Tacoma real estate agent Sharon Benson, a Democrat. The recount added two more votes to the 41-vote margin Grassi had over Benson in last week’s final primary returns. That margin between the second- and third-place finishers was small enough to trigger a mandatory machine recount by the Pierce County Auditor’s Office.

Grassi, who trailed Benson in early election returns, finished with 4,543 votes in the recount. Benson had 4,500 votes.

State Rep. Connie Ladenburg, D-Tacoma, finished first with 7,794 votes in the contest to represent Fircrest, University Place and much of Tacoma. University Place City Council member Chris Nye, a Republican, finished fourth with 3,029 votes.

Ladenburg and Grassi, the top two vote-getters, advance to the Nov. 6 general election. The District 4 position is being vacated by term-limited Tim Farrell, D-Tacoma.