District 71 recount seems a little hinky

[Townsend]

House District 71 recount complete: Henke beats Arthrell by one vote

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20120411_11_0_Arecou120758

Republican Katie Henke has won the House District 71 race by one vote over Democrat Dan Arthrell, who was the winner on election night eight days ago.

Later Wednesday, a Democratic legislative leader said Arthrell would go to court to prevent the election results from receiving state certification, meaning that the House seat would remain vacant until the November general election.

Henke started the day three votes behind, but the final results show her with a victory of 1,415-1,414. Arthrell lost four votes in the recount, which included 15 precincts and absentee ballots. Henke's vote count remained the same.

Arthrell lost two votes in one precinct. He lost one vote in each of two other precincts. The results have been certified, but Arthrell can still challenge them in court. Immediately after the recount, Arthrell said he wasn't sure if he would make that challenge.

Arthrell led 1,416-1,413 after the election April 3. His lead remained the same after a count of provisional votes Friday. Each candidate gained two votes that day and entered this morning's count at 1,418 for Arthrell and 1,415 for Henke.

The recount process started in Tulsa County District Judge Daman Cantrell's courtroom and then adjourned to the county election board, where teams of volunteers were counting votes by hand.

Henke will serve only a few weeks in the current legislative session before facing a re-election campaign. The current session must end by May 25.

The district has been represented by Republicans for all but one term since the state House went to numbered districts in 1964, but the seat has been in play for Democrats for the past several elections. The current registration is 45 percent Republican, 41 percent Democrat and 14 percent independent.

The district covers an area on Riverside Drive from 21st Street to 81st Street. The district's eastern boundary is Lewis Avenue.

The legislative seat opened when Rep. Dan Sullivan, R-Tulsa, resigned to take the chief operating office post at the Grand River Dam Authority.

[guido911]

House District 71 recount complete: Henke beats Arthrell by one vote

[RecycleMichael]

Not so fast. They found two more ballots for Arthrell.

Unbelievable.

[Townsend]

Wonder how this is going today.

"If we don't do this right, we're totally caught."

[Conan71]

See you Guido and raise you one.

[tulsa_fan]

All this to serve for a couple of weeks?  We really couldn't leave the seat vacant until then?  I'll have a ton of respect for Arthell if he lets it go and just runs again . . . . or whomever they decide the winner is today!

[Townsend]

All this to serve for a couple of weeks?  We really couldn't leave the seat vacant until then?  I'll have a ton of respect for Arthell if he lets it go and just runs again . . . . or whomever they decide the winner is today!

Easier to get re-elected in a couple of weeks than be the challenger again.

[RecycleMichael]

The winner will be in office till December. There will be another election in November.

The legislature is only in session for six more weeks, but the winner will be able to send literature out at taxpayers expense all summer and fall. That makes a big advantage to the winner.

This whole voting thing ain't quite working out. I say flip a coin or schedule a cage match to determine the winner.

[Conan71]

Should I move to D-71 and run so I can run as Conan71?

[Gaspar]

Should I move to D-71 and run so I can run as Conan71?

[Conan71]

Looks like I've got a campaign manager!

[Gaspar]

Looks like I've got a campaign manager!

I promise never to say discouraging things about stay-at-home moms, if you promise not to tweet your weiner!

[rdj]

With the color scheme I have a hard time reading thread titles.  I thought this one said "...a little kinky."

I thought maybe we had a move-in, write-in candidate.

[RecycleMichael]

The judge said each side can present on Monday and he will make a ruling on Tuesday.

I doubt the State Election Board will wait. It is controlled by republicans and they have no reason to chance the judge won't give it to the republican. I suspect they will go ahead and certify the election and act like they are just doing their job.

The machines say the democrat won and the total ballots say the democrat won. One hand count with missing ballots say the republican won. That is the one they are going to go with.

[guido911]

The judge said each side can present on Monday and he will make a ruling on Tuesday.

I doubt the State Election Board will wait. It is controlled by republicans and they have no reason to chance the judge won't give it to the republican. I suspect they will go ahead and certify the election and act like they are just doing their job.

The machines say the democrat won and the total ballots say the democrat won. One hand count with missing ballots say the republican won. That is the one they are going to go with.

For what it's worth I've known Judge Cantrell for years, argued in front of him both winning and losing, and everyone should feel comfortable with his competence.