Ballot counting inconsistencies the reason for Topsail-Paradise recount, says Bobbett
CBC
Liberal candidate for Topsail-Paradise Dan Bobbett says inconsistencies spotted by his scrutineers during the ballot counting process were the reason for requesting the judicial recount.
“I had no expectations that [it] would have swung around. The thing about it was the inconsistencies that were identified during the special ballots counting,” Bobbett told CBC after the recount.
While voters are instructed to mark their ballots with an “X” next to the candidate they wish to vote for, Bobbett says his scrutineers noticed a number of circled ballots.
They also noticed that some circled ballots were accepted, while others were not, during both the special ballot count and on election day, said Bobbett.
He says there were also ballots with check marks, writing or multiple x’s, that were counted too.
Bobbett says he doesn’t know the number of ballots contested.
After the provincial election in October, the Liberals went to the courts to request recounts of three districts — Placentia West-Bellevue, Topsail-Paradise and Lewisporte-Twillingate.
The Supreme Court justice granted a recount of only Topsail-Paradise, where Liberal Dan Bobbett lost to PC incumbent Paul Dinn who had a 102-vote lead.
After about four days in the courts, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer announced Dinn as the winner. He had only two fewer votes than the first recount.
Bobbett says he was satisfied with the recount process, but says that Elections N.L. to look at how to avoid inconsistencies.
“I'd like them to look at the process and look at how they could improve the system going forward,” he said.
“Maybe more detail needs to be … included in the training process so that some of these inconsistencies can be, you know, taken into account,” he said. “[And] other things, like I guess the tallying process and how the old tally sheets work. It's a process that could see some improvement.”
Bobbett said he thinks the judicial recount process is an essential part of the democratic system.
“I think democracy works and this is part of the democratic process,” he said. “It's part of restoring confidence in the system."
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