HawthorneVillager.com :: View topic - Waste of Taxpayer Dollars

The losing candidate for Ward 1 has asked for Council to order a recount of votes.

Winning Candidate had 14 more votes than incumbent (second place).

Neither candidate had more then 500 votes.

While 14 votes may seem close, statistically it is a significant disparity. 14 votes out of 500 is just under 3%. To presume there is a 3% error in tabulations is an extraordinary claim and would really call into question all election results if true.

We were able to have electronic voting methods which traditionally reduces errors compared to human tabulation.

Bottom line, the losing candidate is asking us as taxpayers to pay for all costs associated with a recount. I personally feel this is a waste of money. I would hope Council would refuse this request as a waste of municipal tax dollars.

Author:	NewOldMiltonGuy [ Tue Nov 04, 2014 11:57 pm ]
Post subject:	Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
The losing candidate for Ward 1 has asked for Council to order a recount of votes. Winning Candidate had 14 more votes than incumbent (second place). Neither candidate had more then 500 votes. While 14 votes may seem close, statistically it is a significant disparity. 14 votes out of 500 is just under 3%. To presume there is a 3% error in tabulations is an extraordinary claim and would really call into question all election results if true. We were able to have electronic voting methods which traditionally reduces errors compared to human tabulation. Bottom line, the losing candidate is asking us as taxpayers to pay for all costs associated with a recount. I personally feel this is a waste of money. I would hope Council would refuse this request as a waste of municipal tax dollars.

Author:	Rick Malboeuf [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 7:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
+ 1 Rick Malboeuf Councillor Ward 4

Author:	DRiFT_645 [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 8:11 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
It should be like this. If the guy asking for the recount is wrong hen he or she shouldn't the cost. How much does it cost anyway?

Author:	dakaardian [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 9:02 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
NewOldMiltonGuy wrote: The losing candidate for Ward 1 has asked for Council to order a recount of votes. Winning Candidate had 14 more votes than incumbent (second place). Neither candidate had more then 500 votes. While 14 votes may seem close, statistically it is a significant disparity. 14 votes out of 500 is just under 3%. To presume there is a 3% error in tabulations is an extraordinary claim and would really call into question all election results if true. We were able to have electronic voting methods which traditionally reduces errors compared to human tabulation. Bottom line, the losing candidate is asking us as taxpayers to pay for all costs associated with a recount. I personally feel this is a waste of money. I would hope Council would refuse this request as a waste of municipal tax dollars. I personally dissagree. This is a small cost to protect and maintain faith in the election process. In most places a recount is automatic if margin is under a certain threashhold. Also, when you calculate the difference, it is not over what a candidate got but over the overall number of votes casted for that ward, which will make the difference under 1%.

Author:	B&T402 [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:25 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
OP sez: Quote: Winning Candidate had 14 more votes than incumbent (second place). Google sez: Quote: http://m.insidehalton.com/news-story/49 ... d-be-held/ I don't have a problem with this. Count away.

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Author:	NotHawthorny [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:57 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
If these are electronic voting booths, how is a recount going to change the results?

Author:	bremer [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:12 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
They must do the recount manually. Otherwise it sounds like a Monty Python skit. “Alright, let’s do the recount!” Pushes button “OK, you loose!” Asking for a recount is what’s stupid. It’s electronically counted. Still, it’s an important function of democracy, and I’m fine with spending the money to validate any objectionable result.

Author:	Norts999 [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:20 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
Ya, but what if the recount comes back that the elec. counter was wrong? What's that going to cost us and do we redo the whole election manually a 2nd time?

Author:	garlis [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:37 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
The Municipal Elections Act says " Recounts must be conducted in the same way that the votes were originally counted, unless the recount is ordered by the court. For example, if the votes were counted by a vote tabulator, they may not be counted by hand during the recount. " http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=10337 I doubt that a single vote will change.

Author:	bremer [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:41 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
Well, if it’s a manual recount I’d expect the results to differ because people miscount and screw up the odd ballet. I’d let the lawyers decide how many times you recount and which result to accept. None of that needs to turn the world upside down. Now, if they recount and the results are wildly different. Then you have a problem and you can start looking at the election as a whole. This is almost certainly not going to happen. It’s pointless to worry about it unless it happens.

Author:	bremer [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:44 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
garlis wrote: The Municipal Elections Act says " Recounts must be conducted in the same way that the votes were originally counted, unless the recount is ordered by the court. For example, if the votes were counted by a vote tabulator, they may not be counted by hand during the recount. " http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=10337 I doubt that a single vote will change. Really? That’s interesting. I imagine in this case they just reset the machines, and then reefed the original votes into them? That would make sense, and is cheap and easy to do. There were only what?...16 people who bothered to vote in this election.

Author:	Wyl [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:55 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
I would assume if you did not fill in the oval fully, or decide to use your own pen, the computer would onto have counted the vote. If it was counted manually a human would be able to understand the voter intent with even a pen stoke. That could change a lot of votes done in Milton. A computer recount should be the same. If it's not, that would toss then entire election results out the window if you ask me.

Author:	bremer [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
When you handed in your ballet, they scan it right in front of you. The machine reports any scanning errors and your given the chance to correct any problems.

Author:	Norts999 [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 12:14 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
GET THE CANDIDATE SIGNS OUT ASAP- JUST IN CASE!!!!!!!!

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Author:	garlis [ Wed Nov 05, 2014 12:25 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Waste of Taxpayer Dollars
Hanging chads?