On Friday afternoon, Sept. 14, after about two and a half hours of recounting votes from the August primary election, the Wayne County Election counters confirmed that Linda Combs got the most votes and still is the Democratic candidate for supervisor in the Van Buren Township general election in November.
VBT Supervisor Paul White, running for reelection, filed for a recount after he lost to Combs by 50 votes in August.
“Of course, I’m disappointed in the count,” White said. “But now I will move forward and enjoy life and my happy retirement.”
The official recount found 1,112 votes for Combs (up three from 1,109 in August), 1,068 votes for White (up nine from 1,059 in August), 452 for Larry Fix (up two from 450 in August), and 429 for Tim Szetela, the same as in August.
Observers watching the recount noted that hundreds of voters did not cast ballots for local candidates, voting only for the state proposals and the state and national candidates. This led to the large difference in votes cast vs. the number of local votes recorded.
There were two vote challenges that were put in separate brown envelopes where votes were marked with Xs rather than filling in the oval, as directed. The county allows the Xs.
Delphine G. Oden, Wayne County Director of Elections, ran the recount held in the Otisville-Sheldon room at Van Buren Township Hall. She brought six two-person teams who counted the 10 precincts and the 10 Absentee Voter precincts.
Everyone observing the recount was required to sign in. There were six people present for Combs (including her attorney John Day), 10 for White, one for Fix, and four general observers, including three reporters.