Potential for a Davis-Collins recount

The board that governs Oconee elections convenes at 9 in the morning to evaluate challenged ballots. The board, chaired by Jim Murray, will have the duty to accept or reject ballots cast as provisional votes in the primaries.   And the outcome of those provisionals for one race, according to elections director Joy Scharich, will determine if there shall be a mandatory recount in the District Two County Council votes that gave Julian Davis an unofficial 37-vote margin over Jack Collins. Scharich says a count shows eight ballots in that race were challenged for one reason or another.  Rulings on those ballots, she says, will likely determine whether there must be a recount.  When the difference between any candidate declared nominated and any other candidate not declared nominated is 1% or less of the total votes cast for all candidates for that office, a recount is necessary.  In the 37-vote difference between the two, Davis’s unofficial winning total was 1,129; Collins, 1,092.  The candidates have the right to be present for the hearing, as do the actual voters whose ballots were accepted as provisional.  Voters cast provisional ballots for a variety of reasons.  They don’t bring proper ID; they fail to update their voter registration after moving; they try to vote at the wrong precinct; or their right to vote was challenged by someone.