FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Contact: Kristen Muszynski
207-626-8404/ 207-441-7638

 

Holbrook maintains lead in recount of Congressional District 1 Republican primary

AUGUSTA – The recount of the Republican primary race for Congressional District 1 has concluded, with candidate Mark I. Holbrook confirmed as the winner, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced Wednesday.

Candidate Ande Allen Smith of North Yarmouth had requested the recount on Friday, June 17 based upon the unofficial preliminary results of the election, which showed a difference of 55 votes between Smith and Holbrook, of Brunswick.

Smith conceded Wednesday evening when results of the recount showed that Holbrook maintained the majority of the votes in the race, with a difference of 57 votes: Smith with 10,303 and Holbrook with 10,360. Including the 2,292 blank ballots, the total ballots recounted was 22,955.

The recount, which began Tuesday, June 28, concluded Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. The recount took place in the Florian Room of the Maine Department of Public Safety Building, 45 Commerce Drive in Augusta.

The first Congressional District includes 118 towns in the counties of Cumberland, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, York and part of Kennebec. Holbrook will now face Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016.

State law requires the State Police to collect the ballots for the recount and keep them in a secure State Police facility until the recount has been completed. The ballots are stored in tamperproof metal containers and closed with specially numbered security seals and locks. With Smith’s concession of the loss in this race, the ballots will now be resealed and returned to the towns. Maine law regarding the recount procedure is available for review online at http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/21-A/title21-Asec737-A.html.