RECOUNT OF VLIEGER-STONE RACE CHANGES NOTHING

A hand recount of Sunnyside ballots did not change a single vote in the match up between Don Vlieger and Carol Stone.

I was one observer of the process, invited to attend on behalf of Council Member-Elect Don Vlieger.  Carol Stone was on hand to observe the recount as well, so all sides were represented.

Observers, like Carol Stone and I, were not allowed into the room with the ballots, but had to stay behind a plate-glass window in an observation area.  If a problem was seen, observers could tap on the glass to get the attention of the auditor’s staff.  They would then come out to see what the issue was.  During my time there, no one disturbed the recount process.

It was an interesting process to observe.  Due to restrictions on taking pictures, I will have to give a written account of what I saw.

Two tables were set up, with two employees of the auditor’s office at each table.  One table counted ballots for the Selah City Council race that required a recount, while the other table counted ballots for Sunnyside.

The two employees each counted the ballots by hand, and then compared their results.  If they matched, then the results were reported to Kathy Fisher, the Elections Manager for the County Auditor.

While this was going on, partisan representatives of the Election Board were seated in the room with the ballots, to observe the count as well.  One representative was from the Republican Party, and the other came from the Democrat Party.  Despite City Council elections being non-partisan, rules governing elections require partisan observers to be able to have access during all the counting of ballots.

In about one hour, all of the ballots from Sunnyside had been counted, with no difference from the initial machine recount being detected.  Corky Mattingly, the Yakima County Auditor, came out and announced there would be no change in the Sunnyside ballot count.

At this time, I left the recount, but found out later that there was no change in the ballot count for Selah either.

In a coincidence I found interesting, all of the auditor’s staff, as well as the partisan observers, were female.  It reminded me of how many years ago, only men could vote, or serve on juries.  Now, as we mark 100 years of women being able to vote in the state of Washington, it was all women conducting the recount.

They conducted the entire recount in a professional, and quick manner.

Congratulations to Council Member-Elect Don Vlieger!