FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2010
Contact:  Matthew Dunlap
207-626-8400

Question 1 Recount Confirms Majority Approval of the Oxford County Casino Initiative
All Requested Recounts Have Now Been Completed

AUGUSTA, MAINE – Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, joined by Secretary-elect Charlie Summers, announced today that a recount of results from the Referendum Election for Question 1 – the Oxford County Casino Initiative – has been completed under the supervision of the Secretary of State's Office.  The results confirmed that a majority of voters approved the initiative.

The recount was requested by over a hundred voters who petitioned the Secretary of State (per Maine Election law Title 21-A §738) after unofficial results from Election Day indicated that Question 1 prevailed.  Opponents of the measure withdrew from the recount and conceded following six days of counting in which approximately 132,000 ballots (nearly 25% of the total ballots cast) were reviewed with proponents expanding their margin of victory by 122 additional votes.  At the conclusion of the Question 1 recount, those voting in favor of the initiative continued to prevail.  The recount determined that 284,934 votes were cast in favor of Question 1, while 280,211 votes were cast in opposition to Question 1.

In total, seven recounts were requested – six candidate recounts and one ballot question recount.  All seven have now been completed and in all cases the winning side based on unofficial Election Day results continued to prevail.  Specific recount results are noted in the table below.

"Recounts are vital to the integrity of Maine’s elections process," stated Secretary Dunlap.  "Even when the outcome of an election does not change – as was true of all seven recounts conducted this year – recounts help to assure that all election participants can have the highest level of confidence that the results fully and accurately reflect the will of the voters."

Secretary-elect Summers added, “Those requesting a recount have the option of reviewing every ballot cast in the election, but they may also withdraw early if they choose.  By allowing recounts to unfold in an open and transparent manner – and to the satisfaction of participants that the process is fair and the outcome is accurate – we safeguard the integrity of our democracy.”

All recounts are conducted at the Department of Public Safety headquarters on Commerce Drive in Augusta.  Recounts are a public proceeding and members of the media may observe. State law requires the State Police to collect the ballots for the recounts and keep them in the secure State Police facility until the recounts have been completed.  The ballots are stored in tamperproof metal containers and are closed with specially numbered security seals and locks.

In a recount, the representatives of each candidate and staff members from the Department of the Secretary of State manually review each ballot to determine the official vote tally.  Recounts are requested based upon the unofficial preliminary results.

If a recount produces enough disputed ballots to affect the outcome of the election, the Maine House of Representatives would determine which candidate to seat in House races.  The Maine State Senate would determine which candidate to seat in State Senate races.  The Supreme Judicial Court would make a determination in County races and in Statewide Referenda.

2010 General Election Recount Results

AUGUSTA, MAINE – Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap, joined by Secretary-elect Charlie Summers, announced today that a recount of results from the Referendum Election for Question 1 – the Oxford County Casino Initiative – has been completed under the supervision of the Secretary of State's Office.  The results confirmed that a majority of voters approved the initiative.

The recount was requested by over a hundred voters who petitioned the Secretary of State (per Maine Election law Title 21-A §738) after unofficial results from Election Day indicated that Question 1 prevailed.  Opponents of the measure withdrew from the recount and conceded following six days of counting in which approximately 132,000 ballots (nearly 25% of the total ballots cast) were reviewed with proponents expanding their margin of victory by 122 additional votes.  At the conclusion of the Question 1 recount, those voting in favor of the initiative continued to prevail.  The recount determined that 284,934 votes were cast in favor of Question 1, while 280,211 votes were cast in opposition to Question 1.

In total, seven recounts were requested – six candidate recounts and one ballot question recount.  All seven have now been completed and in all cases the winning side based on unofficial Election Day results continued to prevail.  Specific recount results are noted in the table below.

"Recounts are vital to the integrity of Maine’s elections process," stated Secretary Dunlap.  "Even when the outcome of an election does not change – as was true of all seven recounts conducted this year – recounts help to assure that all election participants can have the highest level of confidence that the results fully and accurately reflect the will of the voters."

Secretary-elect Summers added, “Those requesting a recount have the option of reviewing every ballot cast in the election, but they may also withdraw early if they choose.  By allowing recounts to unfold in an open and transparent manner – and to the satisfaction of participants that the process is fair and the outcome is accurate – we safeguard the integrity of our democracy.”

All recounts are conducted at the Department of Public Safety headquarters on Commerce Drive in Augusta.  Recounts are a public proceeding and members of the media may observe. State law requires the State Police to collect the ballots for the recounts and keep them in the secure State Police facility until the recounts have been completed.  The ballots are stored in tamperproof metal containers and are closed with specially numbered security seals and locks.

In a recount, the representatives of each candidate and staff members from the Department of the Secretary of State manually review each ballot to determine the official vote tally.  Recounts are requested based upon the unofficial preliminary results.

If a recount produces enough disputed ballots to affect the outcome of the election, the Maine House of Representatives would determine which candidate to seat in House races.  The Maine State Senate would determine which candidate to seat in State Senate races.  The Supreme Judicial Court would make a determination in County races and in Statewide Referenda.

2010 General Election Recount Results

Office/Question	District	Candidate (Party)	Unofficial Results	Official Results
Senate	7	Joseph C. Palmieri (R) Lawrence Bliss (D)	9,097 9,163	9,097 9,172
House	37	Madeleine Gay Leach (R) Ralph Chapman (D)	2,228 2,260	2,231 2,266
House	109	Gary C. Foster (R) Anne P. Graham (D)	2,100 2,138	2,104 2,140
House	131	James D. Libby (R) Robert M. Hunt (D)	2,058 2,094	2,073 2,131
District Attorney	7	Matthew Foster (R) Carletta M. Bassano (D)	13,552 14,188	13,588 14,223
Waldo County Commissioner	1	Donald P. Berry, Sr. (R) Betty I. Johnson (D)	2,879 2,887	2.881 2,883
Ballot Question 1		Yes No	284,493 279.892	284,934 280,211