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As an attorney, Crowley represents four people in Eureka County who are challenging the election process there. He said Eureka County election officials printed the paper ballots from the voting machines in public as part of the recount process. His clients there could continue to question the election process, Crowley said, and he might join the fight.
"If they're going to challenge, I might as well jump in with them," he said. "They are contesting the election because of the process and the way the ballots were transported."
A dispute over the cost of the recount went to the Nevada Supreme Court this week.
Crowley objected to paying more than $3,400 to Sequoia Voting Systems. The company provided voting machines and services to Nevada under a $9.2 million contract that is valid through Dec. 31.
Crowley claims in court documents he was told the recount would cost $1,000, and supporters raised that amount to pay for the process. One day before a deadline to request a recount, he says, the cost rose to $4,000 because of Sequoia's fees.
"So we either had to forego asking for a recount or ask for a recount and then ask the court to intervene," he said.
Sequoia's service quote includes an account specialist at $175 an hour, travel time from California at $125 an hour, a rental car, hotel and meal expenses.
Crowley asked the court to decide if a candidate could legally be charged for a Sequoia representative to watch a recount.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the high court rejected Crowley's request to exclude Sequoia's fees. Supreme Court justices ruled that Nevada law permits counties to recover costs for independent contractors necessary to conduct a recount.
"We thus conclude that the county clerks property included Sequoia's charges their advance deposit estimate and deny this petition," the order states.
Richards watched the recount process with his wife and a couple of supporters. He said the uncertainty between his win on election night and the actual recount was a bit unnerving but he was not unduly worried.
"I was a little concerned but I had faith in the system," he said after the numbers didn't change.
Richards won the election with 3,867 votes to Crowley's 3,841.
Crowley prepared questions about the recount process for the Churchill County Clerk/Treasurer's Office, for the Nevada Secretary of State's Office and for a representative from Sequoia Voting Systems.
Deputy District Attorney Tom Stockard told Crowley his questions to the clerk/treasurer's office will be answered later.
Kelly Helton, office manager at the county clerk/treasurer's office, told Crowley the actual votes cast by Churchill County voters are stored in a locked vault and cannot be reviewed without a court order.
more...
http://www.lahontanvalleynews.com/article/20061122/News/111220035
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