BUTTE — The recount is on from Butte-Silver Bow's primary election in June after a discrepancy was found in the final ballot count. Now, this discrepancy is large enough to potentially affect some of the local races this November.
“And so, to find out that I might have a chance, it really kind of re-energized me,” said Tom Cronnelly.
Cronnelly finished third in the closely contested race for Butte’s District 5 Commissioner. The recount could potentially push him into second place and back in the running for the general election.
There are three other races in Butte’s primary that had three or more candidates running. The recount could possibly change those races as well, which could be inconvenient for some candidates.
“I kind of scrapped my campaign, got rid of my signs, got rid of my Facebook page and, so if I do advance, I’ll have to start over,” said Cronnelly.
On Aug. 16, Butte Clerk and Recorder Linda Sajor-Joyce confirmed that about 1,000 primary ballots accidentally may have been counted twice in the tabulator machines in June. On Aug. 19, election officials were recounting the ballots by hand, and they will also run them through a tabulator.
The process is being observed by a special committee appointed by the state senate. The committee says the clerk and recorder has been very cooperative.
“She has allowed us to observe very closely and have everything explained, so there’s nothing unturned,” said Sen. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka.
Representatives from the Montana chapter of United Sovereign Americans, a national group that has highly scrutinized the election process across the country, also was on hand to watch the recount. David Nims said he brought the ballot discrepancy to the attention of the Clerk and Recorder.
“I believe the AG is going to have to get involved because that is fraud some way. It could be unintentional, or it could be intentional,” said Nims.
Others say this was an honest mistake.
“I guarantee you that nobody in the clerk and recorder's office wanted this to happen,” said Cronnelly.
Election officials will have the results of the recount completed by Aug. 22.
