From Clatsop County: Final Ballot Count Produces No Changes In Local Races

Monday, November 17, 2008

FINAL BALLOT COUNT PRODUCES NO CHANGES IN LOCAL RACES
There was no change in the outcome of two close local races after the Clatsop County Elections Division tallied the last 190 ballots left uncounted from the Nov. 4 general election Monday afternoon.
The count, conducted at the Judge Guy Boyington Building, put the final tally in the race for the Astoria City Council Ward 4 race at 414 for incumbent Russ Warr and 411 for challenger Bob Goldberg. After the first unofficial count on election night, Warr had a two-vote lead over Goldberg.
Under state law, counties must conduct recounts of election races if the vote margin is less than one-fifth of 1 percent. In the case of the Warr-Goldberg race, that threshold would be less than two votes.
Goldberg or any other party can request a recount, but would be responsible for the cost. The request for a recount must be made within 35 days of the election.
In the other close local race, the Monday’s final vote tally gave Clatsop County Commission Chairperson Patricia Roberts a total of 1,466 votes to 1,444 votes for challenger Jim Scheller in the race for the commissoin’s District 2 seat. The election night tally originally gave Roberts a 15-vote edge.
The threshold for an automatic recount in the county commission race is six votes. Like the Astoria race, Scheller or another party can request a recount at their own cost.
Most of the uncounted ballots that were tallied Monday were ballots from Clatsop County voters that had been mailed to or dropped off at other counties’ elections offices. Monday's count did not change the outcome of any other race on the Nov. 4 ballot.