FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2006
Contact: Doug Dunbar
207-626-8404

Fifth Legislative Recount Completed -- House District 81

AUGUSTA, MAINE – Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced on Thursday that a recount of results from the General Election in House District 81 was conducted and completed today under the supervision of the Secretary of State's Office. A second recount—House District 43—is also scheduled for today.

At the conclusion of the recount in House District 81, L. Gary Knight (R) of Livermore Falls remained the winner. Clark L. Souther (D) of Livermore Falls requested the recount after unofficial results from Election Day indicated that he lost the election. The recount determined that 1,877 votes were cast for Knight, while 1,853 were cast for Souther.

All recounts are 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 the 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 initial 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.

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Updated November 2006 Recount Schedule