Partial recount changes little in West-Murphy race

[struggle4progress]

Source: Associated Press via the Houston Chronicle

MATT SEDENSKY
November 11, 2012 | Updated: November 11, 2012 12:37pm

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A partial recount gave Rep. Allen West a slight bump Sunday in his fight to remain in Congress, but not enough to mandate a full review of ballots or to end threats of lawsuits from his campaign.

St. Lucie County's limited recount revised downward the totals for both West and the unofficial winner in the race, Democrat Patrick Murphy. Because Murphy lost more votes in the recount than West, it was a net gain for the Republican incumbent, though his margin of loss remained just above the threshold to order a full recount.

Neither side left the supervisor of elections' office happy. Murphy's campaign noted even a partial recount wasn't necessary under state law. West's campaign objected to the three days of early-voting ballots that were recounted, the absence of a full recount of early votes and the county's refusal to turn over some other documentation requested ...

St. Lucie's revised numbers, combined with previously reported numbers for the district's two other counties, had Murphy with a 50.3 percent share of the ballots, an overall lead of 1,907 votes. That margin of six-tenths of a percentage point is just above the half-percentage point threshold to order a full recount ...

http://www.chron.com/news/article/Partial-recount-changes-little-in-West-Murphy-race-4027625.php

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/article/Partial-recount-changes-little-in-West-Murphy-race-4027625.php

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Allen West, Patrick Murphy race update: Murphy is declared the winner in St. Lucie County
Third recount for Fort Pierce Mayor this week
Posted: 1:35 PM
Last Updated: 1 hour and 10 minutes ago
By: Ryan Calhoun

St. Lucie County election workers performed an emergency recount of early voting ballots due to machines malfunctioning ...

St. Lucie Supervisor of Elections certifies the race between Patrick Murphy and Allen West.

Patrick Murphy is declared the winner with 65,567 votes.

West came in at 52, 672 votes ...

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_st_lucie_county/allen-west-patrick-murphy-race-update-murphy-is-declared-the-winner-in-st-lucie-county

[SleeplessinSoCal]

1. Can't believe that after the election I had to send another 15 bucks to help kick West out!

[Faygo Kid]

2. These nice men are here to help you, Allen . . .

And they have this nice jacket for you to wear when you go with them:

[jonthebru]

3. I despise Allen West and do not wish him well.

That said can we collectively come up with an accurate unalterable manner in which to cast a ballot and have it counted? It can't be that difficult.

[WCGreen]

4. He got trounced....

[onenote]

5. Since when is a candidate "declared the winner" in one part of a Congressional district

I'm glad that Murphy's lead is holding up and hope that this will be the end of it. But its worth pointing out that the statement that Murhpy was "declared the winner" in St. Lucie County is silly. Candidates run for election from a Congressional district. The fact that you get more or less votes in one segment of that district doesn't make you the winner (or loser) of anything.