Etherington still wins
Posted Nov 3, 2010 02:06:50 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Four hours of work at Kitchener City Hall today did little more than confirm what last week’s election results had already told us; that Frank Etherington was the winner in Ward 9. And by just one vote at that.
Still, today’s effort was well worth it, according to City Clerk Randy Gosse.
“It’s successful in the fact that it does validate the system and it shows that it does work,” Gosse stresses.
Both candidates involved, Etherington and Debbie Chapman, also expressed satisfaction with how the recount process was managed and how the system worked. The recount results show Etherington with 1689 votes to Chapman’s 1688. Of the more than 3300 ballots counted today, only ten were questioned.
“The few ballots that came out as ambiguous were dealt with appropriately,” admits Chapman. “So I had no problem with it.”
Those ballots were duplicated, recast and counted as part of today’s process.
For Chapman, today’s outcome merely confirmed what she expected. She did not anticipate any change from the October 25th results and that’s what today’s recount delivered.
Chapman now has 15 days to decide if she wants to appeal these results further, to a judicial review in Ontario Superior Court. She’s unsure if she wants to take that step just yet, saying she’ll consult with her team before making that decision.
That means more waiting for Etherington, who seems to be taking the process in stride.
“Every one of (my supporters) has been stopping me on the streets, in the stores, wherever I go, saying ‘it was my vote that won it for you’ and they’re convinced it was their vote,” Etherington jokes. “And I say to them, ‘sure it’s your vote.’ “
If Chapman opts not to appeal, Gosse will officially declare Etherington the winner in 16 days, or on November 19th.
