FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2010
Contact: Matthew Dunlap
207-626-8400

Secretary of State Announces House District 37 Recount Results and Schedule for Upcoming Recounts

AUGUSTA, MAINE Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced today that a recount of results from the General Election in House District 37 was conducted and completed today under the supervision of the Secretary of State's Office.

At the conclusion of the recount in House District 37, Ralph Chapman (D) of Brooksville remained the winner. Madeleine Gay Leach (R) of Castine requested the recount after unofficial results from Election Day indicated that she lost the election. The recount determined that 2,266 votes were cast for Chapman, while 2,231 were cast for Leach.

Four candidate recounts have now been completed. There are two candidate recounts and one statewide ballot question recount remaining to be completed. Details and scheduling information are noted in the table below.

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.

Updated Recount Schedule and Results

NOTE: The first candidate listed in each race was the apparent losing candidate on Election Day--based on unofficial results--and is therefore the candidate who requested the recount.