Council Race Recount Doesn't Change Results

[quote style=”2″]Recount Has Smith Defeating Bendixsen by 6 Votes Instead of 7[/quote]

A recount of the Hermiston City Council race between Doug Smith and Cameron Bendixsen changed Bendixsen’s vote total, but not the election’s outcome.

The original results of the May 20 election had Smith winning with 674 votes to Bendixsen’s 667. The closeness of the results triggered an automatic recount by hand. The results of the recount gave Bendixsen an extra vote, upping his final total to 668 votes. Smith’s vote total was unchanged.

According Umatilla County Elections Officer Kathy Allen, one of Bendixsen’s votes in Precinct 128 did not get counted.

Bendixsen actually garnered more votes than Smith in three of the five Hermiston precincts. In Precinct 126, he tallied 133 votes to Smith’s 130. In Precinct 127, he received 86 votes to Smith’s 68, and in Precinct 129, Bendixsen had 93 votes to Smith’s 72.

Smith, however, had 214 votes from Precinct 130 to Bendixsen’s 174. In Precinct 128, Smith tallied 190 votes to Bendixsen’s 182.

The Hermiston City Council will re-certify the May 20 election results at tonight’s meeting.