Missing ballots found, no change in results

June 22, 2005

By Randal Edgar   Providence Journal

JAMESTOWN The 12 ballots that were missing in last week's election recount were found yesterday inside one of the voting machines.

Town Clerk Arlene D. Petit said the ballots, discovered by the state Board of Elections, were left in a voting machine on election day.

They were counted in the election day results but not in last week's recount, she said.

The state board has instructed the town to confirm the June 1 results and vacate last week's recount results, Petit said. The recount did not change the outcome of any races, but it raised questions about the disappearance of the 12 ballots.

Republicans asked for the recount, citing a 19-vote difference between Democrat Michael Schnack, who claimed the fifth Town Council seat, and Republican Saverio J. Rebecchi. There was also just a 21-vote difference between Schnack and Democrat Michael G. White and a 22-vote difference between Schnack and Republican Daniel J. Capuano.

The missing ballots were in the voting machine used at the Community Center, Petit said.