Hand Recount Shows Ballot Measure Passed

The latest hand recount of ballots in the November local election confirmed the initial result, officials announced, with only a minor adjustment: the victory margin narrowed from 15 to 13 votes due to a careful review of voter intent on several ballots. With the passage of the ballot by a vote of 7028 yes votes and 7015 no votes, a difference of 13 votes. The passage of the measure means a levy $0.035 per $1,000.00 assessed value for Veterans Service Office operations for five years beginning in 2026. The recount was conducted by a specialized six-person team, who discovered during their review that one vote originally tallied as a "yes" was actually an over vote, and another over vote should have been recorded as a "no."

This meticulous process, officials say, did not change the outcome but did alter the official margin. "In very close races, it's crucial to hand-count ballots because humans can discern voter intent where machines cannot," said Amy Southwell, county clerk noting that over 14,000 ballots were examined by hand. "Every problematic ballot received individual attention, even when a willful mark or an unclear X made it hard to interpret the voter’s wishes." Although an observation area was set up to allow the public to watch the process, no members of the community attended. "We strive to keep things as accurate and transparent as possible," Southwell emphasized, inviting the public to observe future counts.