Logan City Recorder Teresa Harris has announced that a recount of ballots in the Nov. 21 municipal election be in the offing for three city council candidates. They are Jeannie Simmonds, Joe Needham and Katie Lee-Koven.
LOGAN – A recount may be in the offing for three candidates in the Logan municipal election that was held on Nov. 21.
Those candidates are incumbent Jeannie F. Simmonds, businessman Joe Needham and neighborhood chairperson Katie Lee-Koven, according to Teresa Harris, the city recorder.
“This could be a first for all of us,” Harris added. “A recount has never been done since I’ve been city recorder. Even when I was deputy recorder, I don’t know of any (previous) recounts.”
Three at-large seats on the city council were up for grabs in the Nov. 21 balloting, with five candidates in contention.
In the updated ballot totals announced by Harris on Monday, Nov. 27, incumbent Mark A. Anderson and video producer Mike Johnson maintained their clear-cut leads in the municipal election.
With 3,441 ballots, Anderson captured more than 20 percent of the vote, while Johnson followed with 2,886 ballots (more than 17 percent).
After the Nov. 27 update, however, less than .5 percent separated the ballot totals for Simmonds, Needham and Lee-Koven.
Simmonds led that pack with 2,411 ballots after that update (14.52 percent of the vote), while Needham claimed 2,396 ballots (14.42 percent) and Lee-Koven got 2,383 ballots (14.35 percent).
The final candidate – Erin Bennett – finished the municipal race well out of contention with just 1,077 ballots (6.48 percent).
Harris acknowledged that there are still some ballots that must be processed. City voters have until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 to “cure” any outstanding ballots with the staff of the County Clerk/Auditor’s Office by verifying their signature or fixing other glitches.
“With these new results and the percentages of the results,” Harris explained, “Joe, Jeannie and Katie fall within the range to qualify for a recount.
“We first need to hold the vote canvass – which is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 4:45 p.m. – where the final numbers will be presented.
“If the percentages remain the same, these three candidate can request a recount in writing to myself before 5 p.m. within seven days after the canvass.”
If a recount is requested, that process will be supervised by Harris and conducted by the staff of the County Clerk/Auditor’s Office. All of the Logan City ballots will be run through the county’s automated counting equipment again and be verified.
After the recount, the board of canvassers – that is, the city council members – will meet again to hear the results and declare a winner.
In the event of a tie in the recount, state law says that the winner will be chosen “by lot.”
In other cities that have conducted recounts, Harris explained, the board of canvassers have chosen to break a tie by a coin toss or by drawing a name out of a hat.
The canvass meeting on Dec. 5 is slated to take place in the City Hall Conference Room at 290 North, 100 West in downtown Logan.