A recount for the disputed at-large Town Council race between Rich DeGrandpre and Bill Rixon is tentatively scheduled for 8 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 17 in the council chambers.
Town Clerk Tracey Stevens said this past Monday that the Nov. 17 date depends on whether a Freeport recount is requested on any statewide races. She will not know if that is the case until Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 5 p.m., Stevens said.
DeGrandpre lost his bid for re-election to the Freeport Town Council by six votes to Bill Rixon, 2,076-2,070, on Nov. 4, and requested the recount last Thursday.
Stevens said that the Town Council, meanwhile, has rescheduled an organizational meeting from Nov. 10 to Nov. 18, at 6:30 p.m. Rixon was to be sworn in at the Nov. 10 meeting, Stevens said.
Stevens said that the recount cannot begin until after Nov. 13, which is the deadline to apply for recounts for state elections. Ballot clerks will count all ballots for the at-large council position by hand, she said. They will scrutinize voter intent on each ballot, she said.
“We had quite a few blank ballots,” Stevens said.
Stevens said she also has fielded several inquiries regarding the vote on withdrawal from Regional School Unit 5. The question to withdraw failed by 76 votes, 2,228-2,152.
“It’s very unlikely that would be turned around,” she said. “The machines are very accurate.”
– Larry Grard
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