Recounts in East and West Lane commissioner races

There will be an automatic recount of the votes in both the East Lane (incumbent Faye Stewart was seven votes over the 50 percent +1 needed to avoid a runoff in the race versus Kevin Matthews, Joanne Ernst, Jose Ortal and Jack Schoolcraft) and West Lane (incumbent Jay Bozievich was 17 votes over the 50 percent +1 needed to avoid a runoff with Dawn Lesley this fall), says the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office.

Here are the press releases from the county:

East Lane

For Immediate Release 6/10/2014

Automatic Recount for East Lane County Commissioner Race to Take Place

Contact: Lane County Public Information Officer Anne Marie Levis: 541-915-4659

Lane County Elections will be conducting an automatic recount in the race for East Lane County Commissioner. This decision comes after new guidance from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division on the statutes covering automatic recounts. The clarification impacts all counties in Oregon.

In the final certified election results, Faye Stewart came within one-fifth of one percent from crossing the 50 percent plus one vote threshold required to avoid a runoff election in November. The recount is estimated to cost Lane County between $2,000 and $3,000. The recount will begin on Monday.

According to Oregon Statute, an automatic recount is required if number of votes cast for a candidate differs from a majority of votes cast for the office by more than one-fifth of one percent. For the East Lane County Commissioner race, one-fifth of one percent meant that Stewart would have needed 27 or more votes beyond the 50 percent plus one vote threshold. Stewart had seven votes above the 50 percent plus one mark.

West Lane

For Immediate Release 6/11/2014

Automatic Recount for West Lane County Commissioner Race

Contact: Lane County Public Information Officer Anne Marie Levis: 541-915-4659

Lane County Elections will be conducting an automatic recount in the race for West Lane County Commissioner. Yesterday, based on new guidance from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division, Lane County Elections announced an automatic recount for the East Lane County Commissioner race as well.

In the final certified election results, Jay Bozievich came within one-fifth of one percent from crossing the 50 percent plus one vote threshold required to avoid a runoff election in November. The recount is estimated to cost Lane County between $2,000 and $3,000. The recount will begin early next week.

According to Oregon Statute, an automatic recount is required if the number of votes cast for a candidate differs from a majority of votes cast for the office by more than one-fifth of one percent. For the West Lane County Commissioner race, one-fifth of one percent meant that Bozievich would have needed 29 or more votes beyond the 50 percent plus one vote threshold. Bozievich had 17 votes above the 50 percent plus one mark.

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