Clearview: Recount approved for Ward 2

By Michael Gennings Simcoe.com November 3 2010
DUNTROON – Clearview Township council approved a recount for Ward 2 on Monday night at the request of candidate John Millar.
Incumbent Orville Brown beat Millar by just one vote during last Monday night’s municipal election.

“If anyone tells you their vote might not count, please have them give me a call,” Millar told council earlier in the meeting, before the recount was approved. “I have requested a recount. It seems like a bit of a no-brainer.”
Millar said his request for a recount is due to the closeness of the race and because the counting machines could be “fallible”.
“In no way am I questioning the good work of Mr. Campbell [township clerk] or Ms. Falls [assistant],” Millar told council.
Council members – Brown declared a conflict and did not participate – unanimously approved the recount and asked clerk Bob Campbell to make sure that it happens as soon as possible.
Deputy Mayor Alicia Savage asked if the recount could happen Wednesday of this week but Campbell said that wouldn’t be possible.
He said all of the Ward 2 candidates had to be notified first. The third candidate in the race was Ivan Weatherall, who garnered 47 votes, compared to Brown’s 285 and Millar’s 284.
As well, Campbell said arrangements had to be made for the Ward 2 ballots to be run through the counting machine. In particular, he said he had to find out when Jordan Green, the township’s information services manager, would be available to operate the tabulator.
He added the Municipal Election Act allows for up to 15 days for a recount to take place once council has officially authorized one.
“I don’t want to see it happen on the 14th or 15th day,” Savage said, adding that for everyone involved the township should strive to do the recount as quickly as possible.
Ward 1 councillor Doug Measures agreed.
“I have faith in the clerk’s office,” he said. “And I’d ask that the clerk expedite this…to satisfy the needs of the township.”
Ward 4 councillor Thom Paterson expressed frustration that the issue of a recount was just now being dealt with.
“We could have called a special meeting and have started this last week,” he said. “This is unfair to the candidates and the people of Clearview.”
Despite the pressuring to do the recount as quickly as possible, Campbell would not commit to a date, saying there were rules and a process to follow.
When the recount does take place, all candidates and their scrutineers will be permitted to observe the counting, Campbell said.
After the recount, he said the winner can’t “officially” be declared until 16 days have passed – the period in which a candidate can ask the Ontario Superior Court Justice to oversee another recount.