1 day Ago By By PATRICK CLOONAN [email protected]
Rows upon rows of blue boxes lined the second floor hall of the Indiana County Court House, as county election officials prepared to begin the local end of the state-mandated recount of the Nov. 5 U.S.
Senate election. Chief Clerk Robin Maryai told the board of commissioners Wednesday morning that the recount was to run from 2 to 4 p.m.
, then pick up at 9 a.m. today.
The recount follows completion of a required canvass of votes from Nov. 5, that had to be done by Wednesday and then certified by Nov. 25.
The deadline for the recount is noon Nov. 26, with each county submitting its recount results to the Pennsylvania Department of State no later than noon on Nov. 27.
That department’s head, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt, said special equipment is needed, separate from that used for the regular canvass of the ballots cast on Nov. 5, of some 7 million ballots cast for U.S.
Senate. Commissioner Sherene Hess asked if Act 88 funds could be utilized. Per state law, Act 88 establishes the Election Integrity Grant Program “to provide grants to counties for the administration of elections.
” Maryai said some funds could be used but it would not cover the total costs of the recount.In at least one nearby county the recount is done, with little change in the results from election night. Originally, Armstrong County reported 26,653 votes for Republican David McCormick, 9,136 for Democratic incumbent Robert P.
Casey Jr. The recount gave Casey a net gain of four votes, leaving McCormick in front by 26,652 to 9,141. In Indiana County, complete but unofficial returns from the Department of State, as measured separately from the recount, showed McCormick with 27,881 votes, Casey with 13,181.
Statewide, again separate from the recount, the latest figures as of Wednesday afternoon showed McCormick ahead by 16,567 votes, well within the one-half of one percent margin that mandates the recount. Each campaign has been watching the recount. McCormick’s campaign said eight counties out of 67 have completed their recounts with few changes in the results.
Casey’s campaign has been sending out repeated entreaties for contributions, saying “we won’t stop fighting to ensure that every Pennsylvanian’s voice is heard. With a razor-thin margin, we need resources ASAP. The fight for Pennsylvania’s Senate seat is still on, but time is running out.
Our team is working hard to ensure Bob Casey stays in the Senate fighting for us.” Casey’s campaign has not answered inquiries from the Indiana Gazette about how that fundraising affects the recount, if at all..
