Baby, It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over: Recount Monday

“So many tears I’ve cried
So much pain inside
But baby it ain’t over ’til it’s over”

-Lenny Kravitz

It’s recount Monday. For Representative-Elect Cindy Weed, today’s recount in Montgomery and Enosburgh confirmed her victory albeit by two votes fewer than the tabulators told us on election day. While Weed lost her hometown of Enosburgh, Montgomery voters put her over the top to take back her seat in the House from Rep. Larry Fiske who defeated her in 2014.

Franklin County Democratic Committee Chair Ed Ballantyne reported that Rep. Fiske raised doubts about the handling of absentee ballots at the meeting of the canvassing committee last week. (After elections, the Chairs of each major party or their representatives meet to certify the results.) It will be interesting to see if Fiske and the Franklin County GOP pursue any further action now that the recount has upheld the election night results.

For Rep. Sarah Buxton of Tunbridge, the election is still not decided. As of election night, Buxton, the Democratic incumbent, had the edge over her perennial opponent Republican David Ainsworth 1,003 to 1,000. The recount now has it as a dead even 1,000 to 1,000. If the courts certify the recount as a tie, then Buxton and Ainsworth will face off again in a runoff election. This isn’t the first time Rep. Buxton and Mr. Ainsworth have had a close result. In 2010, Buxton defeated Ainsworth, at the time the incumbent, by a single vote.

In 2012 I won a seat in the House by just 20 votes. I just lost a bid to return by 69 votes. If my race and the experiences of Rep. Buxton, David Ainsworth, Cindy Weed, and Rep. Fiske teach us anything it’s that voting really does make a difference.  Now that I’m out of the candidate business for the foreseeable future, I’m happy to be back at GMD. Hello again, blogosphere!

 

 

About Mike McCarthy

I'm a guitar-playing Democrat living in Saint Albans, VT with my wife Steph and my daughter Molly. I represented Saint Albans in the VT House in 2013-2014. I care about good government, and a safe, healthier world for all of us. I work for an awesome solar company and love helping Vermonters re-power our communities.

2 thoughts on “Baby, It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over: Recount Monday

  1. AND in Orange County 1 recount began today and will continue tomorrow on Monday the 28th

    The results for incumbent Rep. Susan Hatch-Davis (P/D) are still undecided pending the recount. She was in a four-way race,for two seats.There are eight votes (I think) separating Davis and her closest opponent, Republican Robert Frenier.
    Frenier reportedly showed up today at the rural Chelsea VT Courthouse with a sizable entourage of lawyers in suits.

  2. I, for one am selfishly glad to have you back on the GMD team, Mike…at least for now.

    By 2018, I think Democrats will have had enough of Donald Trump and his minions to finally get religion about the importance of mid-term voting. I hope!

    Congratulations once again to Cindy.

    Sounds like somebody either has to move into or die in Tunbridge!

    You’re absolutely right, Mike; every single vote counts and one vote can make all the difference in the world.

Comments are closed.