The final recount of Nov. 4 election results concluded Friday afternoon, with election night tallies standing up in every case.
The District 19 Senate contest between Democrat Seth Goodall of Richmond and incumbent Sen. Paula Benoit of Phippsburg will go to Goodall with a final tally of 11,119 votes for Goodall and 10,957 for Benoit. Both candidates were at the Department of Public Safety building in Augusta to witness the counting of the ballots.
“This was simply to put any concerns to rest,” said Benoit, who served one term in the Senate. “I know the poll keepers work very hard.”
Benoit said she is considering her next steps, which might include working as a consultant or lobbyist for adoption issues.
“I’m going to do something that will make a difference in the lives of others,” she said. “I can’t stop doing that.”
Goodall said the difference was made by a desire for change among voters and the fact he campaigned very hard, knocking on more than 7000 doors.
“I’ve got to tip my hat to Paula,” Goodall said. “She ran a good race and she served as a good senator for District 19.”
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said the fact the recounts upheld all the results is testament to Maine’s “strong elections system.”
The people of Maine should be proud of what has transpired here in the past several days,” said Dunlap in a press release. “The conduct of these recounts, and the results they provided, are further proof Maine’s election process is truly at the top of the class nationwide.”
In other recount results, Oxford County register of probate, Democrat Bruce A. Rood of Waterford remained the victor. Counting was halted after two-thirds of the ballots were recounted, with no significant gains by incumbent Tom J. Winsor, a Republican from Norway; for Oxford County commissioner, Republican Steven Merrill’s victory over Democrat Charleen Chase was affirmed by a tally of 5404 to 5360; in Senate District 15, Democrat Deborah Simpson’s win over incumbent Republican Sen. Lois Snowe-Mello was affirmed 10,058 to 9954; and, in Senate District 2, Republican Sen. Richard Nass of Acton edged out Democrat Richard Burns of Berwick, 10,786 to 10,352.
Recounts in two races for the House of Representatives were withdrawn last week. Democrat Ruth-Marie Spellman in District 21 and Republican Michael Vaughan in District 105 both decided to let election-night results stand.
(Statehouse News Service)