Maine Government News
Secretary of State’s Office Has Received Nine Candidate Recount Requests
November 13, 2012
Secretary of State
Contact: Megan Sanborn (207)626-8405
AUGUSTA- Nine candidates for public office have submitted requests for recounts of ballots cast in their respective races on Tuesday, November 6. The deadline to request a recount is tomorrow, Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
All recounts will be conducted at the Department of Public Safety headquarters on Commerce Drive in Augusta. Recounts are a public proceeding and members of the media may observe. State law requires the State Police to collect the ballots for the recounts and keep them in a secure 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 preliminary results.
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 and in Statewide Referenda.
Link to the recount schedule: http://www.maine.gov/sos/news/2012/electionrecounts.html
