The final result of a recount conductedthismorning for House District 137 may be decided by the Maine House ofRepresentatives, if the candidates do not resolve the recount by agreement. Since there were enough disputed ballots to affect theelectionresult, unless the candidates resolve the election by agreement,the matterwill be referred to the Maine House of Representatives who willreview thedisputed ballots and resolve the election outcome. This procedureis setforth in the Maine Constitution. The recount determined that 1,996ballotswere cast for Ms. Haskell, while 1,989 ballots were cast for Ms. All recounts are conducted in a secure State Police building on HospitalStreet in Augusta.
Recounts are a public proceeding and members of the mediamay attend to observe.
State law requires the State Police to collect theballots for the recounts and keep them in the secured State Police facilityuntilthe recounts have been completed. The ballots are stored in tamperproofmetal containers and are closed with specially numbered security seals andlocks. A person requesting a recount may be required by law to make a deposit, depending on the margin of victory in the election. In a recount, the representatives of each candidate and the staff of theDivision of Elections manually review each ballot to determine the officialvote tally. Recounts are requested based upon the unofficial initial results,sometimes called the apparent results.