New lister lands job after recount
Toolbox
By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: March 28, 2009
WOODSTOCK — After numerous counts — including one under the supervision of a judge — Plymouth has a new lister.
Friday afternoon, the Plymouth Board of Civil Authority held a recount of the ballots cast Town Meeting Day for the lister race between incumbent Michelle Pingree and challenger Art Lynds. The recount was held in Windsor County Superior Court under the supervision of Judge Harold Eaton Jr., and when the ballots were all counted and certified, Lynds had defeated Pingree 110-108.
Pingree had requested the court supervise the recount after she lost a recount March 16 by the same tally. Lynds had requested that first recount after he lost to Pingree 109-108 on March 3.
Friday afternoon, a court clerk and Board of Civil Authority members Elizabeth Tonkin and Margaret Tucker retrieved the ballots from the courthouse's safe and brought them to the courtroom. After breaking the seal on the ballot bag, Tonkin and Andrew Crossman began counting ballots while Tucker and Richard North counted the other half. As they counted, Pingree stood behind a rail and observed the counting, at one point asserting North had counted a Lynds ballot twice.
The tally however, was identical to the March 16 count, with 224 ballots cast, five blanks and one write-in.
Pingree left the courtroom immediately after the results were announced and did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Lynds was not present in court and did not immediately return a call seeking comment either.
Lynds is the new lister, but it is not clear why he wants the job. Last year, he unsuccessfully petitioned to change the town's charter to eliminate the listers' office and bring in outside assessors. Lynds has repeatedly declined to discuss his motivation to become a lister.
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
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