Recounted vote likely to cost taxpayers

By Tom Hrach,  Marietta Times   07 December 2004

The Washington County Board of Elections is awaiting word on whether to begin recounting all of its presidential ballots, a project that is likely to cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars despite assurances that it won't change a single vote.
The Ohio Secretary of State on Monday certified the Nov. 2 presidential election results. Two of the independent candidates for president have vowed to ask for a recount of all the ballots in each of Ohio's 88 counties, and they would have five days to make that request.

If they follow through with the recount, it means the Washington County Board of Elections would be required to recount each of the approximate 30,100 ballots cast on Election Day.

Elections Director Becky Kirkbride is skeptical that a recount would result in even a one vote change in the presidential election results.

"It's one thing to do a recount on a close race," Kirkbride said. "But to do it just for sake of doing it because someone requested it just does not make sense."

In Washington County, the final election results showed that George W. Bush finished with 17,480 votes, and John Kerry finished with 12,475 votes. Two independent candidates also received votes. They are Michael Badnarik with 77 votes and Michael Peroutka, 69 votes.

At least one voter agrees that a recount would not make sense.

"It doesn't make sense," said Delmer Cameron, 81, of 965 Danas Run Road, Newport. "It's a waste of time, a waste of money. We ought to be moving onto other things."

Even the Secretary of State's office is skeptical that recount would alter the results statewide to any significant amount.

"In spite of all that's surrounded the presidential election and recount process, there remains a lot of people from outside the state who seem to believe that we've never conducted an election or recount in Ohio," said James Lee, spokesman for Ohio Sec. of State Ken Blackwell. "In fact, we have had professionals successfully running an election system for generations."

If a recount is requested, the Washington County Board of Elections will have 10 days to recount all the ballots. The board members would have to decide the process and when it would occur.

A recount would mean all the ballots in the county would be scanned through the counters. As required by law, 3 percent of the ballots would be hand counted to ensure that the counters are working correctly.

To recount, the board would have to bring in workers, and the board typically pays about $8 per hour. The recount could take more than one day, and there would also be a cost of postage to notify candidates of the outcome.

While no exact cost figure has been determined, Kirkbride said it could be several thousands of dollars.

The candidates asking for the recount are required to pay $10 per precinct, which would mean $560 in reimbursement to Washington County, not nearly enough to cover the costs.

If the candidates asked for a recount in every county in Ohio, Lee estimated it would cost local boards of election about $1.5 million to do the recount. The reimbursement from the candidates would be about $100,000.

"Certainly, some of the bigger counties have more resources to do this, but in the smaller counties it is going to be quite costly," Lee said.

Lee said the $10 per precinct reimbursements for recounts was a rate not d in Ohio since the 1950s. Under Ohio law if the vote is extremely close, an automatic recount is ordered. If not, a candidate can ask for a recount if the $10 per precinct reimbursement is paid.