Two candidates asked for a recount of the votes in their respective races, according to a letter sent out by Elections Supervisor Janet Munda to candidates in each of the affected contests.
Kyla Cromer, candidate for Board of Education District 1, and Channing Ruskell, candidate for Board of Commission District 2, have each requested recounts.
The recount will be at 2 p.m. in the Albert L. Stone Elections Building at 400 East Main St. in Canton and will continue until completion.
In an email Monday, Cromer said she requested the recount earlier that day per the request of her supporters.
“My supporters have been asking me to be sure that we have covered all the bases,” she wrote in the email. “Since so many people worked hard for me this summer, I felt I owed it to them.”
Cromer, who ran and lost to Kelly Marlow by 24 votes, said she did not anticipate the recount to change the results.
“The outcome is not likely to change, but any doubt will be removed from everyone’s minds,” Cromer said.
Cromer said in the email she observed elections officials count provisional ballots on Friday and was “impressed” with the process used by Munda and her staff.
The provisional votes, totaled on Friday, only slightly impacted both races. Cromer received two provisional votes while Marlow did not receive any provisional votes.
In the race for Board of Education District 1, Marlow received 2,973 votes, or 50.2 percent, while Cromer received 2,949 votes, or 49.8 percent.
In the Commission District 2 race on July 31, Commissioner Jim Hubbard received 4,299 votes, or 45.2 percent, Ray Gunnin received 2,613 votes, or 27.5 percent and Ruskell received 2,592 votes, or 27.3 percent.
The initial count would have Hubbard and Gunnin in a runoff election to be held Aug. 21.
Additionally, Hubbard received three provisional votes, while Ruskell and Gunnin did not receive any.
Cromer said Tuesday she plans to attend the recount. Her opponent Marlow did not return calls for comment by to press time.
Ruskell also could not be reached for comment regarding his request for a recount.
Hubbard said he has not yet decided whether he will attend the recount, as the outcome would not affect his candidacy but may affect Gunnin’s eligibility for the runoff election for District 2.
Gunnin beat out Ruskell to the runoff by 21 votes to face Hubbard on Aug. 21.
“It doesn’t involve me and I’m not sure it’s appropriate for me to be there but I’ll probably send a representative just so we’ll know,” Hubbard said.
Gunnin said Tuesday he had not decided whether or not he would attend the recount.
Munda said state law allows for candidates in any contested race that results in a winning margin of 1 percent or less ask for a recount of the votes.
“(The ballots will) go through the same way they were counted on election night,” Munda said. “We run those ballots back through the scanner and the precincts that involved those two races will be uploaded.”
Since the primary election night last Tuesday, Munda said there have not been any other changes or problems reported to or by the elections office.
Munda said she has not received recount requests from any other candidates as of Tuesday afternoon.
It's amusing that she's "impressed" with Cherokee County's electoral counting process....but still doesn't trust that they got it right the first time.
How much $$$ is this costing the Cherokee County taxpayers?
Recounts of this margin never, ever, EVER overturn an election. Cromer should be ashamed of herself but I doubt the woman has any shame. Good riddance to bad rubbish!