Hey, this is one of the last bits of election drama for 2006.
Result overturned in auditor's race, unofficial results show
A recount in the Nov. 7 election for Vermont state auditor concluded Monday, showing Democrat Thomas M. Salmon won by the closest of margins, apparently overturning the re-election of incumbent Auditor Randy Brock.
Salmon, who lost by 137 votes in Election Day balloting, ended up prevailing by 104 votes in the two-week-long recount, in which more than 250,000 ballots were counted by hand in the state's 14 counties. The results have yet to be certified.
Salmon, the son of a former governor, finished with 111,741 votes, compared with 111,637 for Brock, according to vote totals released by county clerks and tabulated by The Associated Press.
The outcome won't be official until Thursday, at the earliest.
The election night results was a narrow Brock lead, of 111486 to 111349 with 9% going to the Progressive Party candidate.
Slightly more on the result under the fold
The recount was the first to occur in a statewide race since 1980 and the first ever to effect the results of the race.
Brock was first elected in 2004, defeating incumbent Democratic auditor Elizabeth Ready by a 52/42 margin and becoming the first Republican auditor since 1990.
The Brock camp is holding out hopes that more counting could produce a victory.
But, here's another thing worth noting:
A January 4, 1991 (mis-dated January 4, 1990) opinion of the attorney general argued that the majority requirement did not apply to the election of auditor, noting that the Constitution only specifically required a majority for governor, lieutenant governor, and treasurer and that Act 269 §4(a) of 1974 eliminated the majority requirement for auditor.
Even if there was a majority requirement, the tradition seems to suggest that if you don't get a plurality, you're better off not going for a legislative victory. Even if you can claim that the Progressives and other third party candidates are closer to your side than the other side.
In 2002, Douglas and Dubie won overwhelmingly due to this tradition (and I think the GOP had a legislative majority at the time anyways).
The last person to win via legislature after losing a plurality was Republican Garry Buckley in 1976.
So, if the results hold up, then we've picked up another office.
Meanwhile in New Hampshire, they had scheduled 15 recounts. 3 recounts were called off. One recount resulted in the changing of which Republican got the 4th spot in Merrimack-9 (3 Republicans and 1 Democrat were elected there) and the recount in Hillsborough-3 ended in a tie for 4th place between two Democrats.
Hm. Seems like those Northeastern Republicans are fading away, doesn't it? ;)