Board approves staff plan to schedule PSC district recount after runoff

The board accepted staff's recommendation to schedule a recount for the Republican Public Service Commission District 3 race after the June 16 runoff and certification meeting.

Staff told the board there had been a recount request in that PSC race and that the margin between the winner and second-place candidate was roughly 38 percentage points. The Secretary of State recommended beginning the recount as soon as possible and completing it by Friday the 26th; staff recommended waiting until after the runoff and certification and to conduct the rescanning during the week of June 22.

Travis explained that the recount is a rescanning of paper ballots on the ICC mail scanner unit, not a hand count: "a recount is the rescanning of the paper ballots ... it is not a hand count. It is ... basically it's a rescanning of those ballots." The board moved, seconded and approved the staff recommendation and gave the executive director discretion to schedule and make preparations for the recount.

Staff said they will verify sealed ballot containers remain secure, transfer ballots as necessary for the recount process and participate in Secretary of State training on recount procedures.