Mower County finally closed the book on the 2010 election — in March of 2011.

The auditor-treasurer’s office finally closed in March when the Republican Party reimbursed the county $2,242 for collecting and copying data for the governor’s recount.

“The election of 2010 is over with as our office is concerned,” Auditor-Treasurer Doug Groh said.

After a few mix-ups with payments, the Republicans paid in late March. Groh had first sent the bill to the GOP, which sponsored candidate Tom Emmer’s recount, on Nov. 24. At first, Groh said, the GOP lost the invoice.

Groh said he took an aggressive approach in collecting the money because he’d first received a check that didn’t go through.

Groh said he heard the party was having fundraising problems, but was pleased the bill had been paid.