To recount or not to recount (Brattleboro Reformer Editorial; 8/26/2010), here:
The question on everyone’s mind right now is pretty evident: Will there be a recount of the votes cast in Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary?
There are less than 200 votes separating Windham County’s “hometown boy,” Sen. Peter Shumlin and former Lt. Governor and current Richmond senator Doug Racine.
In addition, Secretary of State Deb Markowitz is less than 700 votes away from the top spot.
So it only seems logical that all of the candidates should at least wait for the official results to arrive before claiming victory.
[…]
One major reason that a recount should be considered is that while 106 of the state’s cities, such as Brattleboro, use optical scanners to tally votes, 140 of them count their ballots by hand.
Town clerks and their assistants do an outstanding job when it comes to any and all elections in Vermont, but all it takes is one or two miscounted votes in each town to swing the vote to another candidate.
[…]
The Reformer agrees with Racine and counsels the candidates to wait for the official results to come in before hoisting a victory flag. If the vote count is as close as it was on Wednesday, Racine and Markowitz should call for a recount and Shumlin should agree. It’s in the best interest of all Vermonters.
Why shouldn’t a recount be an automatic response when so many towns in Vermont still count and tally the ballots by hand?
It makes for an awkward position when a candidate finds him/herself in such a close race to have to give any consideration to asking for the obvious. Even the possibility seems to be viewed as a nuisance with all eyes on the candidate who has honestly, good reason to ask.
A recount would be the right thing to do; not only for the candidates but for all their supporters. Who wants to look back next year and still be wondering?
If the “unity” of the candidates is an actual, shared goal, then let a request for a recount be the very first act of unity. Having the primary ahead of the traditional time this year, it seems to me that any time spent on a recount isn’t going to do any harm.
It’s the right thing to do, and shouldn’t be vilified. I feel that everyone should support it.
Candidates have the right by law to ask for one in such a close race. They are not and shouldn’t be obligated to, if on balance, they don’t think it’s for the best.
Frankly, what’s the right thing to do for the candidates,or for their active supporters, is not the most important thing. What’s most important is the race against Dubie and we can’t wait a couple of weeks more for that to begin.
I didn’t vote for Shumlin. I voted for one of the candidates entitled to a recount. I hope neither of them ask for one.
People count ballots late into the night, often after working all day. Mistakes get made. A number gets put in the wrong column.
We don’t have to wait for the candidate to begin the campaign. That’s just waiting for someone else to do what we need to do ourselves.