Recount ordered in West Vancouver civic election

A B.C. provincial court judge has ordered a recount in the West Vancouver civic election.

Just 21 votes separated mayoral candidate Mark Sager from mayor-elect and former councillor Mary-Ann Booth.

Also, council hopeful Jim Finkbeiner fell 20 votes short of a seat.

The court has ordered the recount to take place on Thursday.

The application was filed by Finkbeiner and former mayor Michael Smith who endorsed Sager during the election campaign.

In their application both candidates allege the Chief Election Officer “failed to properly adjudicate the determination of official election results and declined to conduct the official determination in a reasonable way by failing to conduct some form of recount ‘by hand.”

“That a ballot account does not accurately record the number of valid votes for the candidates and that the final determination did not correctly calculate the total number of valid votes for a candidate.”

The application is asking for a proper recount of both the mayoral and council election results to be undertaken by the court on Nov. 1.

If a judge rules a recount, it must be completed by Friday.

In Peachland, the decision came down to a “drawing of lot” which means a name was essentially pulled out of a hat after Monday’s judicial recount once again determined a tie.

Cindy Fortin and challenger Harry Gough were tied at 804 votes each. Fortin won the draw on Monday and will continue on as mayor.