For Immediate Release
November 10, 2004
Contact: Dan A. Gwadosky
207-626-8400

Recounts Completed for House Districts 56 and 41

AUGUSTA, MAINE – Secretary of State Dan A. Gwadosky announced on Wednesday that recounts resulting from the November General Election for House Districts 41 and 56 were conducted today under the supervision of the Secretary of State's Office. After a recount held this morning for House District 56, Kimberly Davis (R) of Augusta remained the winner by a margin of 13 votes after the ballots were recounted. Darek Grant (D) of Augusta requested the recount after the preliminary results from Election Day showed him to have lost the election. The recount determined that 2,261 votes were cast for Davis, while 2,248 were cast for Grant.

In the recount completed this afternoon for House District 41, Kenneth Lindell (R) of Frankfort remained the winner by a margin of 52 votes after the ballots were recounted. Kent Price (D) of Orland requested the recount after the preliminary results from Election Day showed him to have lost the election. The recount determined that 2,502 ballots were cast for Lindell, while 2,449 ballots were cast for Price.

All recounts are conducted in a secure State Police building on Hospital Street in Augusta. Recounts are a public proceeding and members of the media may attend to observe. State law requires the State Police to collect the ballots for the recounts and keep them in the secured State Police facility until the recounts have been completed. The ballots are stored in tamperproof metal containers and are closed with specially numbered security seals and locks.

In a recount, the representatives of each candidate and staff members from the Department of the Secretary of State manually review each ballot to determine the official vote tally. Recounts are requested based upon the unofficial initial results.

A candidate who requests and receives a recount may withdraw from the recount, thus ending the process, at any time while the recount shows that candidate trailing. If, during the recount, the candidate requesting the recount overtakes the candidate who initially appeared to win the election, the candidate requesting the recount may not withdraw the request.

If a recount produces enough disputed ballots to affect the outcome of the election, the Maine House of Representatives would determine which candidate to seat in House races. The Maine State Senate would determine which candidate to seat in State Senate races. The Supreme Judicial Court would make a determination in County races.

Recount Requests and Schedule