House District 71 recount complete: Henke beats Arthrell by one vote
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20120411_11_0_Arecou120758 (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20120411_11_0_Arecou120758)
QuoteRepublican Katie Henke has won the House District 71 race by one vote over Democrat Dan Arthrell, who was the winner on election night eight days ago.
Later Wednesday, a Democratic legislative leader said Arthrell would go to court to prevent the election results from receiving state certification, meaning that the House seat would remain vacant until the November general election.
Henke started the day three votes behind, but the final results show her with a victory of 1,415-1,414. Arthrell lost four votes in the recount, which included 15 precincts and absentee ballots. Henke's vote count remained the same.
Arthrell lost two votes in one precinct. He lost one vote in each of two other precincts. The results have been certified, but Arthrell can still challenge them in court. Immediately after the recount, Arthrell said he wasn't sure if he would make that challenge.
Arthrell led 1,416-1,413 after the election April 3. His lead remained the same after a count of provisional votes Friday. Each candidate gained two votes that day and entered this morning's count at 1,418 for Arthrell and 1,415 for Henke.
The recount process started in Tulsa County District Judge Daman Cantrell's courtroom and then adjourned to the county election board, where teams of volunteers were counting votes by hand.
Henke will serve only a few weeks in the current legislative session before facing a re-election campaign. The current session must end by May 25.
The district has been represented by Republicans for all but one term since the state House went to numbered districts in 1964, but the seat has been in play for Democrats for the past several elections. The current registration is 45 percent Republican, 41 percent Democrat and 14 percent independent.
The district covers an area on Riverside Drive from 21st Street to 81st Street. The district's eastern boundary is Lewis Avenue.
The legislative seat opened when Rep. Dan Sullivan, R-Tulsa, resigned to take the chief operating office post at the Grand River Dam Authority.
Quote from: Townsend on April 11, 2012, 04:59:45 PM
House District 71 recount complete: Henke beats Arthrell by one vote
(https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSn-fCKX50qezkh3K1dkJ2quzWepMGMHe2X1XVxYFoHMgrFPFYl)
Not so fast. They found two more ballots for Arthrell.
Unbelievable.
Wonder how this is going today.
"If we don't do this right, we're totally caught."
See you Guido and raise you one.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QoBz29eDUk0/SSXq1HrT0rI/AAAAAAAAARU/A-C1_LsBfjs/s400/chads.png)
All this to serve for a couple of weeks? We really couldn't leave the seat vacant until then? I'll have a ton of respect for Arthell if he lets it go and just runs again . . . . or whomever they decide the winner is today!
Quote from: tulsa_fan on April 12, 2012, 10:22:03 AM
All this to serve for a couple of weeks? We really couldn't leave the seat vacant until then? I'll have a ton of respect for Arthell if he lets it go and just runs again . . . . or whomever they decide the winner is today!
Easier to get re-elected in a couple of weeks than be the challenger again.
The winner will be in office till December. There will be another election in November.
The legislature is only in session for six more weeks, but the winner will be able to send literature out at taxpayers expense all summer and fall. That makes a big advantage to the winner.
This whole voting thing ain't quite working out. I say flip a coin or schedule a cage match to determine the winner.
Should I move to D-71 and run so I can run as Conan71?
Quote from: Conan71 on April 12, 2012, 02:31:00 PM
Should I move to D-71 and run so I can run as Conan71?
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3217/2909751863_51d3d2915c.jpg)
Quote from: Gaspar on April 12, 2012, 02:38:23 PM
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3217/2909751863_51d3d2915c.jpg)
Looks like I've got a campaign manager!
Quote from: Conan71 on April 12, 2012, 02:43:42 PM
Looks like I've got a campaign manager!
I promise never to say discouraging things about stay-at-home moms, if you promise not to tweet your weiner!
With the color scheme I have a hard time reading thread titles. I thought this one said "...a little kinky."
I thought maybe we had a move-in, write-in candidate.
The judge said each side can present on Monday and he will make a ruling on Tuesday.
I doubt the State Election Board will wait. It is controlled by republicans and they have no reason to chance the judge won't give it to the republican. I suspect they will go ahead and certify the election and act like they are just doing their job.
The machines say the democrat won and the total ballots say the democrat won. One hand count with missing ballots say the republican won. That is the one they are going to go with.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on April 12, 2012, 05:18:57 PM
The judge said each side can present on Monday and he will make a ruling on Tuesday.
I doubt the State Election Board will wait. It is controlled by republicans and they have no reason to chance the judge won't give it to the republican. I suspect they will go ahead and certify the election and act like they are just doing their job.
The machines say the democrat won and the total ballots say the democrat won. One hand count with missing ballots say the republican won. That is the one they are going to go with.
For what it's worth I've known Judge Cantrell for years, argued in front of him both winning and losing, and everyone should feel comfortable with his competence.
Quote from: guido911 on April 12, 2012, 05:56:32 PM
For what it's worth I've known Judge Cantrell for years, argued in front of him both winning and losing, and everyone should feel comfortable with his competence.
I agree. I also think he has done a good job on this case so far. I just hope he has a chance to rule on it before it goes wrong.
Okla. Supreme Court intervention sought in race
http://www.ktul.com/story/17463534/okla-supreme-court-intervention-sought-in-race?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter (http://www.ktul.com/story/17463534/okla-supreme-court-intervention-sought-in-race?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)
QuoteOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Democrat whose three-vote lead in a special election for a state House seat was overturned in a recount wants the state Supreme Court to intervene.
Democrat Dan Arthrell will ask a court referee on Monday to recommend that the court take the case.
Arthrell lost four votes in the manual recount of votes in the Tulsa race and Republican Katie Henke was certified by the county election board as the winner by one vote.
Shortly after the certification, two uncounted ballots for Arthrell were found beneath a voting machine.
Arthrell wants the court to either order that the ballots be counted or to declare that the original machine count be utilized. Either way, Arthrell would have the most votes.
That's pretty messed up even for Oklahoma.
Quote from: Townsend on April 16, 2012, 02:36:07 PM
Okla. Supreme Court intervention sought in race
http://www.ktul.com/story/17463534/okla-supreme-court-intervention-sought-in-race?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter (http://www.ktul.com/story/17463534/okla-supreme-court-intervention-sought-in-race?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)
That's pretty messed up even for Oklahoma.
Public school math.
Quote from: Conan71 on April 16, 2012, 02:37:47 PM
Public school math.
The County Election Board appears to be a tad one sided.
Quote from: Townsend on April 16, 2012, 02:36:07 PM
Okla. Supreme Court intervention sought in race
"Arthrell wants the court to either order that the ballots be counted or to declare that the original machine count be utilized. Either way, Arthrell would have the most votes."
That's pretty messed up even for Oklahoma.
So wait, he wants to the judge to either count unsecured votes or certify a count that was already invalidated?
If I go to court I'm asking for Yeti's cell phone# and the verdict to be read by unicorn.
The facts are that the election board was missing two ballots from one precinct and went back to see why. When they found the two ballots, the election board went to the judge to rule. It wasn't either campaign that asked, it was the election board.
Either use the machine count or count all the ballots cast. Not counting ballots would be wrong.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on April 16, 2012, 08:31:22 PM
The facts are that the election board was missing two ballots from one precinct and went back to see why. When they found the two ballots, the election board went to the judge to rule. It wasn't either campaign that asked, it was the election board.
Either use the machine count or count all the ballots cast. Not counting ballots would be wrong.
With the exception of ballots cast by unqualified voters. I believe there were some votes found from people who no longer reside in the district.
Quote from: Conan71 on April 17, 2012, 01:52:38 PM
With the exception of ballots cast by unqualified voters. I believe there were some votes found from people who no longer reside in the district.
Is that information from the election board?
Quote from: Townsend on April 17, 2012, 01:54:01 PM
Is that information from the election board?
That's what KRMG said the other day. Whether or not it came from the election board or little green men flying black helicopters is beyond me.
Quote from: Townsend on April 17, 2012, 01:54:01 PM
Is that information from the election board?
Yes. If you are not on the voter list, you can ask for a provisional ballot. Your vote doesn't get put in the machine until the election board can determine whether or not you are still registered for that precinct. It is something that happens a lot on presidential elections but a little uncommon on smaller elections.
Arthrell lost four votes when they hand counted the ballots. The election officials found that two of them were easy to explain on precinct workers inserting a machine rejected ballot and then issuing another ballot. The machine had counted the ballot and voting again nullified the two ballots.
The election board did a fine job on this election, especially considering that they were using brand new type of machine to count. They immediately figured out the two ballots that were the result of operator error. The other two ballots had just fallen off to the side of the catch tray. After the hand count, it was suggested they look at the machines themselves that had remained locked. That is when they found the two unhand counted ballots.
Those two ballots need to be counted. Not counting them would be a travesty.
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/okla-supreme-court-rules-to-invalidate-district-71-special-election (http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/okla-supreme-court-rules-to-invalidate-district-71-special-election)
Quote
TULSA COUNTY - The Oklahoma Supreme Court has invalidated the election for House District 71, 2News has learned.
The initial results of the April 3 special election showed Dan Arthrell (D) winning against Katie Henke (R) by three votes.
A hand recount initially showed Henke ahead by one vote. Two missing ballots were later discovered, both tallied for Arthrell.
The election board says the seat will remain empty for the remainder of the legislative session, ending the last week of May.
The seat will again be contested June 26 in the primary election.
Arthrell will run unopposed as the Democratic contender -- Henke will run against Evelyn Rogers for the Republican Party nomination.
That appears to be a win for the republican side of things in district 71.
I am disappointed. I know both Katie and Dan a little bit and they would both be fine legislators.
Now, neither gets the job.
I think this is a terrible decision. This opens up the chance that election workers could just misplace ballots and have an election thrown out. They have the ballots in hand. Make a damn decision.
The citizens of that district have no one to represent them and there are plenty of very important issues to be decided in the next couple of weeks.
Quote from: RecycleMichael on May 01, 2012, 03:09:52 PM
The citizens of that district have no one to represent them and there are plenty of very important issues to be decided in the next couple of weeks.
I hear ya Mike. Tell ya what, I'll take their place and represent that district. Settled.
Quote from: Townsend on May 01, 2012, 10:31:28 AM
http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/okla-supreme-court-rules-to-invalidate-district-71-special-election (http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/okla-supreme-court-rules-to-invalidate-district-71-special-election)
That appears to be a win for the republican side of things in district 71.
The Republican was the certified winner. Things were already in their favor.
Quote from: sgrizzle on May 01, 2012, 07:13:35 PM
The Republican was the certified winner. Things were already in their favor.
She wouldn't have been if they hadn't "lost" two votes. This seems to show that fraud pays.
Quote from: Townsend on May 02, 2012, 01:02:35 PM
She wouldn't have been if they hadn't "lost" two votes. This seems to show that fraud pays.
If so, hopefully someone held on to the receipt.
Quote from: sgrizzle on May 02, 2012, 08:36:12 PM
If so, hopefully someone held on to the receipt.
Fraud proves advantageous then tiny dancer.