Recounts make little difference

A recount requested by Joe Kent, who lost the race for U.S. Representative for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District to Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, did not change the outcome of the election. Instead, the undertaking, which cost Kent more than $48,500, only succeeded in extending Perez’s lead a little more.

Wahkiakum’s recount was conducted last Thursday morning by Wahkiakum County Auditor Nicci Bergseng, Wahkiakum County Commissioner Gene Strong, Wahkiakum Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Shannon Eddy, and the election coordinator, Amanda Boehler. Three observers witnessed the recount.

The four reviewed 49 undervotes and determined they were all true undervotes, Bergseng said. When a voter does not select any candidate in a race, and no bubbles are filled in, this is counted as an undervote.

The canvassing yielded no change to Wahkiakum County results.

Unofficial results from Clark County added another six votes for Perez, and two for Kent in their counting of undervotes. Kent gained one vote in Thurston County. In Cowlitz County, both candidates gained one vote. There was no change in Lewis County and no change in Pacific County. Skamania County was expected to conduct their recount on Tuesday.