Recount does not change election winners

by Angie Asam–Staff Writer

The Presque Isle County Board of Canvassers met Monday to hold a recount in the Rogers City mayor election. Debra K. Greene filed a petition asking for the recount.

New rules for how recounts are conducted had to be followed and a recount team made up of Mary McLean and Paulette Kierzek performed the recount for the board as they looked on. In the past the board of canvassers would have conducted the recount, but new state laws required it to have sorters do all the counting for it.

In the 1st Precinct votes for Tom Sobeck (226), Jerry Wagner (87) and Dana John LaBar  (65) stayed the same while Greene went from 91 votes to 92 votes after a recount.

The 2nd Precinct numbers stayed the same for all candidates with Sobeck at 149, Wagner at 113, Greene at 106 and LaBar at 84.

MAYOR CANDIDATE Jerry Wagner was the only candidate present at Monday’s recount. Above he looks over the ballots as Mary McLean (center) and Paulette Kierzek count them. Candidate Deb Greene requested the recount and gained one vote, all other numbers stayed the same. (Photo by Angie Asam)

So after the recount, despite Greene gaining one vote in the count of 1st Precinct one votes, the results of the election stayed the same with Sobeck winning with 375 votes. Wagner remained the second vote getter at 200, Greene third at 198 and LaBar fourth at 149.

A recount held for the position of Onaway City Commission in the recall effort also stayed the same with Chuck Abshagen (135) and Roger Marsh (117) taking the seats. Abshagen gained one vote in the recount while Marsh gained two votes. Jessie R. Horrocks, who asked for the recount also gained one vote moving from 114 to 115. Horrocks won the seat for the two-year term which will start in January but lost her recall effort, Marsh will serve on the commission for three meetings. James G. Grainger also gained one vote going from 112 to 113 after the recount.