Name: Attorney General's Office conducts review after ballot discrepancies in Windham
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Attorney General's Office conducts review after ballot discrepancies in Windham

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AdvertisementHundreds of votes change in recount in state representative raceAttorney General's Office conducts review after ballot discrepancies in WindhamHundreds of votes change in recount in state representative raceHide TranscriptShow TranscriptFROM THE PERSON WHO REQUESTED THAT RECOUNT. KRISTEN: AFTER A TIGHT RACE, A HAND RECOUNT WAS CONDUCTED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. &gt;&gt; I WAS SHORT BY 24 VOTES, WHICH WAS A TOUGH LOST. &gt;&gt; THE RECOUNT FOUND APPROXIMATELY ADDITIONAL VOTES FOR EACH WINNING CANDIDATE, WHILE THE CANDIDATE REQUESTING THE RECOUNT LOST 99 VOTES. KRISTI: BECAUSE THE DISCREPANCY WAS SO GREAT, THEY HAD ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE. KRISTEN: ACCORDING TO THE TOWN, ATTORNEYS HAVE REQUESTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE BALLOT MACHINES. IN A LETTER, THE AG’S OFFICE SAYS THEY WILL WORK WITH LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS TO IMPLEMENT THEIR PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES. ST. LAURENT IS PUSHING TO HAVE THE BALLOTS LOOKED AT AGAIN. HOWEVER, THE AG’S OFFICE SAYS THE LAW PROHIBITS MORE THAN ONE RECOUNT. KRISTI: I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COUNT THEM, NOW THEY ARE JUST EVIDENCE. THEY ARE A PAPER TRAIL TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE MISTAKE HAPPENED. KRISTEN: THERE WILL BE A SELECT MEETING ON FEBRUARY 22 AND THE VOTING MACHINE COMPANY WILL BE THERE. KRISTI: THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR NAME CLEARED. KRISTEN: THE TOWN TAKES THE ALLEGED DISCREPANCY EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY. OUR MAIN PRIORITY IS TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS MATTER. KRISTI: IT IS INEXPLICABLE, BUT WE DO NEEDAdvertisementAttorney General's Office conducts review after ballot discrepancies in WindhamHundreds of votes change in recount in state representative raceA ballot discrepancy is being reviewed in the town of Windham after a hand recount that was conducted following the November election showed a significant change in the numbers.After a tight race for state representative in Windham's general election, the hand recount was conducted by the Secretary of State's Office."I was short by 24 votes, which was a tough loss," said Democratic candidate Kristi St. Laurent. "I've run a number of times."The recount found approximately 300 additional votes for each of the winning candidates, while St. Laurent, who requested the recount, lost 99 votes."Because the discrepancy was so great — it's around a 6% discrepancy in vote totals — they asked the Attorney General's Office to investigate," St. Laurent said.According to the town, attorneys have requested information about the ballot machines and how the elections are handled. In a letter to the town, officials with the Attorney General's Office said they will work with local election officials to implement or refine their protocols and procedures.In the meantime, St. Laurent is pushing to have the ballots looked at again. But the Attorney General's Office said the law prohibits more than one recount."I think we should be able to count them," she said. "Now they're just evidence. They are a paper trail for us to go back and figure out where the mistake happened and just make sure it doesn't happen again."The voting-counting machine company will be at a selectmen meeting on Feb. 22."They have indicated that they are willing to do whatever because they want to have their name cleared," St. Laurent said.Windham Town Clerk Nicole Bottai released a statement that said, in part: "The town takes this alleged discrepancy extremely seriously, and we are cooperating to the full extent... Our main priority is to get to the bottom of this important matter.""It's inexplicable, but we do need an answer if we are going to be confident in our elections going forward," St. Laurent said.A ballot discrepancy is being reviewed in the town of Windham after a hand recount that was conducted following the November election showed a significant change in the numbers.After a tight race for state representative in Windham's general election, the hand recount was conducted by the Secretary of State's Office.Advertisement"I was short by 24 votes, which was a tough loss," said Democratic candidate Kristi St. Laurent. "I've run a number of times."The recount found approximately 300 additional votes for each of the winning candidates, while St. Laurent, who requested the recount, lost 99 votes."Because the discrepancy was so great — it's around a 6% discrepancy in vote totals — they asked the Attorney General's Office to investigate," St. Laurent said.According to the town, attorneys have requested information about the ballot machines and how the elections are handled. In a letter to the town, officials with the Attorney General's Office said they will work with local election officials to implement or refine their protocols and procedures.In the meantime, St. Laurent is pushing to have the ballots looked at again. But the Attorney General's Office said the law prohibits more than one recount."I think we should be able to count them," she said. "Now they're just evidence. They are a paper trail for us to go back and figure out where the mistake happened and just make sure it doesn't happen again."The voting-counting machine company will be at a selectmen meeting on Feb. 22."They have indicated that they are willing to do whatever because they want to have their name cleared," St. Laurent said.Windham Town Clerk Nicole Bottai released a statement that said, in part: "The town takes this alleged discrepancy extremely seriously, and we are cooperating to the full extent... Our main priority is to get to the bottom of this important matter.""It's inexplicable, but we do need an answer if we are going to be confident in our elections going forward," St. Laurent said.Loading more articles...

AdvertisementHundreds of votes change in recount in state representative raceAttorney General's Office conducts review after ballot discrepancies in WindhamHundreds of votes change in recount in state representative raceHide TranscriptShow TranscriptFROM THE PERSON WHO REQUESTED THAT RECOUNT. KRISTEN: AFTER A TIGHT RACE, A HAND RECOUNT WAS CONDUCTED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE. &gt;&gt; I WAS SHORT BY 24 VOTES, WHICH WAS A TOUGH LOST. &gt;&gt; THE RECOUNT FOUND APPROXIMATELY ADDITIONAL VOTES FOR EACH WINNING CANDIDATE, WHILE THE CANDIDATE REQUESTING THE RECOUNT LOST 99 VOTES. KRISTI:...

Attorney General's Office conducts review after ballot discrepancies in Windham

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