Reply #23: Back at ya !! Here' three for YOU !

[harmonyguy]

The importance of HAND recounts - y'know the things that most of the current crop of DRE's DON'T produce...

If it weren't for being able to perform an actual reCOUNT, rather than just a rePRINT, the results would have been flat-out wrong.

In 1997, Vermont State representative Sydney Nixon was seated as an apparent one vote winner, 570 to 569. Mr Nixon resigned when the State House determined, after a recount, that he had actually lost to his opponent Robert Emond 572 to 571.

In 1989, a Lansing, Michigan School District millage proposition failed when the final recount produced a tie vote 5,147 for, and 5,147 against. On the original vote count, votes against the proposition were ten more than those in favor. The result meant that the school district had to reduce its budget by $2.5 million.

In 1997, South Dakota Democrat John McIntyre led Republican Hal Wick 4,195 to 4,191 for the second seat in Legislative District 12 on election night. A subsequent recount showed Wick the winner at 4,192 to 4,191. The State Supreme Court however, ruled that one ballot counted for Wick was invalid due to an overvote. This left the race a tie. After hearing arguments from both sides, the State Legislature voted to seat wick 46 to 20.

Now someone wise-acre (tfhp?) will probably insist on asking me for a link to support these wild stories of close calls and recounts. Well folks, here it is, courtesy of our good friends over at the Federal Election Commission.

http://www.fec.gov/pages/faqvdayeprocedures.htm

HG