UPDATED: One Vote Separates Candidates in Southwest Harbor Election, Triggering Recount
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Swan Agency Real Estate.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—The Southwest Harbor voters came to vote at the fire station on a dreary, drizzling Tuesday to chose two select board members for two three-year seats and determine the fate of three ordinance changes.
All the ordinance changes easily passed—shellfish, subdivision, 911—but the election for the town leaders was so close that there is going to be a recount.
Current Vice Chair Natasha Johnson gathered the most votes (226) and will most likely return.
However, the race for the other seat ended up having just one vote difference, with Dan C. Norwood receiving 203 and incumbent James R. Vallette receiving 202.
According to Town Clerk Jennifer LaHaye, “There has been an official request for a recount.”
Since the vote was just yesterday the town was still establishing a plan for that recount on Wednesday, however, Wednesday morning, Vallette decided to not press forward with that recount. Our story about that is here.
All four candidates have served on the select board already and the seats are up because Johnson’s and Vallette’s three-year terms end this year.
In uncontested races, Jacques H. Newell Taylor was elected to the Pemetic School Committee with 334 votes and Steven L. Hudson was elected to the MDI High School Board of Trustees with 341 votes. Both are three-year terms.
WHAT A RECOUNT MEANS
The state has rules regarding how recounts occur in Maine towns and cities. First, a candidate must give the town clerk a written request. This has to be within five business days of the election.
That has already happened in Southwest Harbor.
Next a time and date of the recount has to be set and according to the state, that needs to be as soon as possible.
At the recount itself, the clerk has to explain the procedure to those attending and then supervising the sorting of the ballots and the hand counting of the ballots.
Candidates may bring their own counters who will be supervised by the clerk. A municipal officer or a candidate on that ballot can’t be a counter. Individual ballot disputes are resolved by consensus. If consensus can’t be reached those ballots are put aside.
The results must be signed and issued within 24 hours of the recount.
OTHER ORDINANCES
The shellfish ordinance passed 288-86 with 57 blanks. The 911 addressing ordinance passed 295-78 with 58 blanks. The subdivision ordinance passed 272-101, again with 58 planks.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Our story about the rest of town meeting:
Our story about the candidates for select board:
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