With just a five-vote margin, Don Spivey was declared the winner over Dennis Arledge during a Thursday recount in the House District 52 Republican primary.

Each candidate picked up one extra vote in the recount from Tuesday’s runoff, with Spivey totaling 1,304 votes to Arledge’s 1,299.

“I think it points out to everyone that one vote is important,” Spivey said after Thursday’s announcement. “I think that lesson we can all take.”

Spivey will go up against Democrat Laurie Slade Funderburk in the November general election. Funderburk beat Spivey last week in a special election to fill the seat through November.

But Spivey said he expects a different field of voters this fall.

“I think (the special election) has no impact at all,” he said. “ ... I think the audience is different in November. I think elections are more on people’s minds.”

Thursday’s recount wraps up a complicated election process for voters.

The House District 52 seat was vacated in February after Democrat Vincent Sheheen won a special election to the S.C. Senate.

Since then, voters have headed to the polls four times :

• April 27, for the special election primaries

• June 8, for the Republican primary for the November general election

• June 15, for the special election itself

• and Tuesday, for the Republican primary runoff

After Thursday’s recount, Kershaw County Republican Party chairman James D’Alessio said Arledge could appeal the narrow vote to the state Republican Party. But Arledge said he is not planning to do that and will throw his support behind Spivey for the fall.

“I’m excited for Don. He’s going to have a great race in November,” Arledge said. “I’m going to do everything I can to support him.”

Spivey said after a short break, he will regroup and begin focusing on his strategy for the fall election. That strategy will begin with trying to unify the Republican party, but his message will remain the same.

“November is the big prize,” he said.

Reach Rupon at (803) 771-8622 or krupon@thestate.com.