A Recount Timeline
A saga of the election in the 6th Worcester District of the Massachusetts State House, between challenger Peter Durant (R–Spencer) and incumbent Geraldo Alicea (D–Charlton). The district is composed of all of Charlton, East Brookfield, and Southbridge, two of the four precincts in Spencer, and one of the four precincts in Oxford.
November 2: Election Day. That night, as the votes are counted, the initial count has Durant leading by 2 votes.
November 3: A few more votes are counted, widening Durant’s lead to 4 votes.
November 5: The usual editorializing about how close it was
- Telegram: Squeaker in the 6th: It’s Durant and Alicea to the wire
- Marketti Cartoons (published in the Southbridge Evening News): Durant’s Barber Shop
November 8: Two provisional ballots are opened in Oxford. Tally up one more for each. Durant’s lead remains at 4.
- Walter Bird: Durant, Alicea remain four votes apart
- Southbridge Evening News: No closer to winner in 6th Worcester: Each camp gains a vote from Oxford
November 12: Deadline for submitting recount petitions. Alicea submits them in Southbridge and Oxford, Durant does in all towns but Southbridge. Alicea says that he didn’t need to in the other towns since Durant did. Recount dates get set.
November 16: East Brookfield holds its recount. The hand recount comes up with exactly the same totals as the optical scanners did before. No change to results whatsoever.
November 17: Charlton holds its recount. Charlton has the most votes cast in the race. The hand recount comes up with exactly the same totals as the optical scanners did before. No change to results whatsoever.
Yesterday, November 18: Southbridge and Spencer hold their recounts. In Southbridge, drama ensues. There’s a ballot box that hasn’t been sealed. Another ballot box is broken. Some precincts have more ballots than they did on election night. Others have less. When all is said and done, Durant’s lead is lowered to one vote. Plus, there’s a disputed absentee spoiled ballot (which doesn’t seem to make sense to anyone), which looks to be for Alicea but was not counted, so if this race stays this close, the election could go to court to see if that ballot should count. And if it does, the election could even be tied. Oh, and Spencer’s hand recount comes up with exactly the same totals as the optical scanners did before. No change to results there whatsoever.
- Telegram (on the 18th): Alicea gains 3 votes: Recount Continues in 6th Worcester District
- Telegram (updated article this morning, the 19th): Vote margin shrinks to 1, but recount isn’t over: Alicea, Durant await Oxford tally, may go to court
- Walter Bird: Southbridge shocker pulls Alicea into virtual tie in 6th Worcester
Today, November 19: The one precinct of Oxford in the district holds their recount this afternoon. My wild guess is that they won’t have any change there, and Durant’s lead will hold at 1, and this will end up in the courts.
