Single-vote margins don't cut the Plymouth mustard
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By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: March 16, 2009
PLYMOUTH – Nearly two weeks after Town Meeting Day, two races that were both decided by a single vote are being appealed and recounted.
At 3 p.m. today in the municipal building, there will be a recount for the race for lister between incumbent Michelle Pingree and challenger Art Lynds. Meanwhile, there has been a recount and appeal surrounding the Select Board race between Todd Blanchard and Larry Lynds.
On March 3, Larry Lynds defeated Blanchard 104-103. However, there was some confusion about which ballots were spoiled, said Town Clerk Rachel Lynds. Originally, there were three candidates for the three-year Select Board seat — Blanchard, Lynds and Russell Tonkin.
Rachel Lynds said Tonkin dropped out of the race after the town had printed the ballots. After a call to the Secretary of State's office, she learned town officials could not cross out Tonkin's name. However, town officials incorrectly thought that voters were not allowed to cross out Tokin's name either, and on election night town officials counted those ballots with Tonkin's name crossed out as spoiled, Rachel Lynds said.
Following the election, Blanchard asked for a recount, which is allowed under state law if the margin between the winner and the loser is less than 5 percent of the total votes cast in the race. On March 9, there was a recount and this time Blanchard defeated Larry Lynds, 105-104.
Blanchard took his oath and three hours later was serving on the Select Board.
"I kind of hoped the recount would have either shown him (Larry Lynds) to win by a large margin or lose by a large margin," Blanchard said. "A one-vote margin is a tough sell."
On Friday, Rachel Lynds said Larry Lynds has filed an appeal with Windsor County Superior Court. Under state law, the town clerk will give the ballots to the county clerk and there will be a hearing, possibly as early as the end of this week.
Larry Lynds did not return calls seeking comment Friday.
As with the Select Board race, the lister race was decided by a one-vote margin, with Pingree victorious over Art Lynds 109-108. Last year, Art Lynds petitioned unsuccessfully to eliminate the lister's job and while he confirmed Friday he had asked for a recount, he declined to discuss why he wants the job.
"I don't really deal with gossip columns, and that's what I think newspapers are," he said.
Pingree is also awaiting today's recount.
"If he (Art Lynds) feels he has to do this, than fine," Pingree said. "I've just felt right along his intent is not in the best interests of the town, but about half of the taxpayers seem to feel differently."
Josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
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