1.
Designated stages for recount. The Secretary of State will create
a list of municipalities to be recounted, presented in descending order of the
total votes cast for the office or referendum in each municipality, except that
the island municipalities described in subsection 2 will be listed in
descending order at the end of the list. The total votes cast figures will be
based on the Return of Votes Cast reported by the municipalities to the
Secretary of State within 3 business days after the election.
A.
Stage I selected by Secretary of
State. The Secretary of State will select the top 5 municipalities in
terms of total votes cast for Stage I of the recount, unless the aggregate of
the total votes cast for these municipalities is less than 10% of the total
votes cast for the office or referendum. In that event, the Secretary of State
will select additional municipalities in descending order until the aggregate
totals are greater than or equal to I 0% of the total votes cast for the office
or referendum. The Secretary of State will then notify the State Police of the
selected municipalities whose materials will be retrieved and delivered to the
recount location.
B.
Stage II
selected by the recount participants. Prior to the end of Stage I of the
recount, the candidate or side of the referendum who requested the recount will
be asked if they wish to concede the recount or if they wish to continue to the
next stage. If the requesting party wishes to continue, each side will be asked
to select up to 5 municipalities, other than the island municipalities
described in subsection 2, which they would like to recount in Stage II. If the
aggregate of the total votes cast in this group of municipalities is less than
10% of the total votes cast for the office or referendum, the Secretary of
State may add municipalities to be recounted - either municipalities whose
ballots have already been retrieved for another recount, or, if none, then the
next municipalities ranked in terms of the highest total votes cast, until the
Stage JI aggregate totals are greater than or equal to 10% of the total votes
cast for the office or referendum.
C.
Additional stages. Prior to
the end of Stage II and each subsequent stage, the requesting patty wit I again
be asked if they wish to concede the recount or if they wish to continue to the
next stage. If the requesting party wishes to continue, the Secretary of State
will select the municipalities to be recounted in the next stage, unless the
requestor presents a list of not more than 10 jurisdictions that if recounted
in the next stage would lead to a concession if the results do not change
significantly in that stage. In selecting the municipalities for Stage III and
subsequent rounds, the Secretary of State will select first from among any
municipalities whose ballots have already been retrieved for another recount,
or if none, then the next municipalities in order of the highest total votes
cast, until the aggregate totals for the stage are greater than or equal to 5%
of the total votes cast for the office or referendum. The recount will continue
in stages until the requesting party concedes the recount.
2.
Island municipalities not recounted
unless necessary. Ballots from island municipalities that are accessible
only by boat will not be retrieved for inclusion in the recount, except that
if, after all other municipalities have been recounted, the results are close
enough that the recount cannot be resolved unless the island results are
recounted.
