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Recount required in judge race
Recount needed because of race's close outcome
By TONY BRITT
tbritt@lakecityreporter.com
Columbia County supervisor of elections office officials spent more than three hours recounting ballots from the Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Group 4 race, where Greg Parker, once again, was the local winner, narrowly besting Chris Craun by 188 votes.
According to recount results, Parker captured 40.62 percent of the local vote to win Columbia County in his bid to become a circuit court judge. Craun had 39.19 percent of the vote and Thomas Stone had 20.19 percent of the vote.
Results from the other counties in the Third Judicial Circuit were not available at press time.
The recount was necessary because of Parker’s margin of victory in Tuesday’s General Primary Election.
The Columbia County Supervisor of Elections office received notification from the Florida Division of Elections Friday afternoon to initiate a recount in the Third Judicial Circuit Judge Group 4 race. All seven counties in the Third Judicial Circuit had to recount ballots as part of the executive order.
According to supervisor of elections officials, the results originally showed Parker having 50.1 percent of the vote. To win out right without a recount, a candidate must win by at least over one half of one percent. Because Parker’s win was less than one half of one percent a recount was necessary.
The doors to the supervisor of elections office were opened at 5:55 p.m. Friday to anyone who wanted to witness the recount. No representatives for either candidate attended the local recount.
During the ballot recount process, only the ballots pertaining to the Third Judicial Circuit Judge Group 4 race were counted by voting machines.
“We’re going to put all the ballots that pertain to that race back through the machines and the machines will county,” said Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Liz Horne. “It’s designated now just to count this race.”
The Columbia County Canvassing Board and supervisor of elections’ office staff began counting the at 6:15 p.m.
According to supervisor of elections office records, 14,335 Columbia County voters were registered and eligible to participate in the race, but only 13,090 local voters cast ballots in the circuit judge race.
Elections office staff used 27 county voting machines to recount the 13,090 ballots, including absentee, early and provisional ballots.
According to recount results, Parker captured 40.62 percent of the local vote to win Columbia County in his bid to become a circuit court judge. Craun had 39.19 percent of the vote and Thomas Stone had 20.19 percent of the vote.
Results from the other counties in the Third Judicial Circuit were not available at press time.
The recount was necessary because of Parker’s margin of victory in Tuesday’s General Primary Election.
The Columbia County Supervisor of Elections office received notification from the Florida Division of Elections Friday afternoon to initiate a recount in the Third Judicial Circuit Judge Group 4 race. All seven counties in the Third Judicial Circuit had to recount ballots as part of the executive order.
According to supervisor of elections officials, the results originally showed Parker having 50.1 percent of the vote. To win out right without a recount, a candidate must win by at least over one half of one percent. Because Parker’s win was less than one half of one percent a recount was necessary.
The doors to the supervisor of elections office were opened at 5:55 p.m. Friday to anyone who wanted to witness the recount. No representatives for either candidate attended the local recount.
During the ballot recount process, only the ballots pertaining to the Third Judicial Circuit Judge Group 4 race were counted by voting machines.
“We’re going to put all the ballots that pertain to that race back through the machines and the machines will county,” said Columbia County Supervisor of Elections Liz Horne. “It’s designated now just to count this race.”
The Columbia County Canvassing Board and supervisor of elections’ office staff began counting the at 6:15 p.m.
According to supervisor of elections office records, 14,335 Columbia County voters were registered and eligible to participate in the race, but only 13,090 local voters cast ballots in the circuit judge race.
Elections office staff used 27 county voting machines to recount the 13,090 ballots, including absentee, early and provisional ballots.
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