Boundary County Getting a Recount
Calls went out over the police scanner the night of May 19th, for the ballots in Boundary County, Idaho to be seized.
Deputies were dispatched to the courthouse in Bonners Ferry. The call that went out over the scanner told the responding officers to call in for further information.
The Boundary County Sheriff’s dispatch confirmed that the ballots were impounded for a recount. It was thought by the officer that only one precinct was being questioned, and expected a recount.
Further investigation confirms that the recount is for the Naples precinct. David Wilson, candidate for the Republican Precinct Committeeman position, requested the recount.
It was a simple procedure to request the recount, not much more than filling out a form. Wilson tells us that the people in the Boundary County clerk’s office seemed excited, as they had never been requested to do a recount for as long as they could remember.
Idaho statute Title 34, chapter 23 covers election recount procedures. 34-2303 specifies that the attorney general will order the impound of the ballots. All current actions that have been done are accounted for under the statutes.
Earlier in the evening, a vote tally had been posted to the door of the precinct showing that Wilson had won his race. When the final totals were posted online, Wilson had lost by one vote. As it was so close, he initiated the recount procedure, as allowed by Idaho Statute.
Further reflection appears that the absentee votes were not included in the posted totals, as they should have been opened at the clerks office versus the precinct.
But citizens need to be reminded that every vote counts, especially in small communities. It is too easy for mistakes to happen.
The recount will be performed on Tuesday morning, May 24th.
