Canty Leads in Recount; Ballot Search to Take Place

After more than four hours of combing over ballots cast in the August 14 Democratic primary for the fifth district House seat, the vote tally has yet to be verified in Windsor.

Although the recount was held with the intent of confirming the number of votes each candidate received, election officials and representatives of each candidate will spend Monday morning looking for a ballot that was unaccounted for during the recount Friday night.

The ballot, head election moderator Jay Melley told candidates, will be searched for in the precinct in which it is believed to have been cast: district 2, John F. Kennedy School. The voting machine is at John F. Kennedy School in preparation for the August 21 special election for probate judge. The school was locked Friday night, and officials will not have access to the building until Monday morning.

According to representatives of Brandon McGee's campaign —representatives who served as observers during the recount — the ballot is believed to be missing because there was one fewer ballot counted Friday than cast on primary day.

While the numbers have yet to be called official, Windsor's Leo Canty left council chambers in the lead Friday evening.

Both Canty and McGee lost one vote in district 2, but Canty picked up one vote in district 1, L.P. Wilson.

The one vote Canty picked up was only picked up after having been counted by hand. Instead of filling in the ovals next to each candidate's name, the voter drew their own ovals above Chris Murphy and Leo Canty's names, and filled in the custom-made ovals. Those conducting the recount interpreted the voter's intent as placing a vote for Canty.

"The outcome is dependent upon, essentially, whether or not someone made a mistake. Either a voter made a mistake at the polls, or the counter made a mistake, or the poll checker made a mistake. I don't know that there's anybody that would want to win an election because someone else made a mistake, or lose," Canty said.

"We still have Hartford on Tuesday, and the process isn't over. Either someone is declared the winner or we go and do a re-vote. I don't mind two of the three (outcomes), actually."

Regardless of who leaves the Windsor recount on top, official primary results will not be determined until after a recount of votes cast in Hartford, McGee's hometown.

"This has been one of the best experiences of my life. It truly has been a roller coaster ride from the very beginning, and it will continue to be one until next Tuesday," said McGee.

The Hartford recount will be held at 9 a.m. on Tues., Aug. 21 in city hall council chambers.

While neither candidate has been declared the winner, Windsor history buffs can call the race a victory for all, as, according to Democratice Registrar of Voters Anita Mips, there has never been a tied vote here in town. This is the closest race she's seen.