Lynn mayoral race recount Wednesday

LYNN – Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. and mayor-elect Judith Flanagan Kennedy, who won the Nov. 3 election by 27 votes, have separately filed for a hand recount of votes.Kennedy won the election 8,043-8,016 but Clancy has challenged the results.The recount will be conducted Wednesday in the City Hall Memorial Auditorium, according to City Clerk Mary Audley. “We’re hoping to do it all in one day but you never know exactly how long it will take,” Audley said Friday.Clancy returned his recount petition to the city Election Office Thursday. As required by state law, he obtained at least 10 signatures of voter support from each of the seven wards. Kennedy turned in her petition and necessary signatures Friday.In filing for the recount, Clancy recorded his reasons: “Errors in the counting of votes and blanks were made; errors in the determination of voter’s intent were made; errors in the recording and tabulations were made; votes cast for candidates were erroneously counted or recorded as blank votes and absentee ballots properly cast were not recorded. Therefore, we request that a recount of all ballots and voting machine tabulations be made, including the counting of absentee ballots, challenged ballots and escrow ballots be made available and that all of the following materials be made at the recount for inspection and/or recording: ballot boxes, ballot card holders, paper ballots, all types of electronic voting ballots and their envelopes. All such ballots are to be produced whether used or unused, ‘leatheroid’ containers, checked in and out voter’s list used in the election, the clerk’s record book, voting authority slips and stubs, spoiled ballots, block tally and tally sheets, absentee ballot applications, inner and outer envelopes, rejected as defective absentee ballots, disposition sheets for absentee ballots, escrow ballots and challenged ballots.Kennedy’s reasons for seeking a recount paralleled Clancy’s, according to Audley.Clancy said attorney Haskell Kassler will represent him during the recount.Clancy’s choice of Kassler underscores the mayor’s familiarity with recounts. It was Kassler who in September 1990 helped Clancy challenge former state Rep. Thomas W. McGee’s 4,059-4,050 vote win in the Democratic primary for the West Lynn/Nahant legislative seat.Clancy won the recount by five votes and went on to succeed McGee in the state Legislature even though McGee challenged the recount in court. During the recount, McGee had attorney William McDermott in his corner. Friday afternoon Kennedy confirmed McDermott is going to assist her fight off any Clancy challenge to her Nov. 3 win.Of the 49,346 registered voters in Lynn, 16,320 voted in the Nov. 3 election, according to Karen Richard, head clerk at the Election Office. The Nov. 3 election also produced 216 blank votes.Approximately 40 people have been hired to carry out the recount – mostly poll and city workers and including local high school students who will serve as runners between the counters and the judges, Richard said.Audley noted that her office is also preparing for the Dec. 8 primary election that will decide the Democrat and Republican candidates for U.S. senator in the final election in January. The seat, vacated by the death of U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, has been temporarily held by U.S. Sen. Paul Kirk, who will not be a candidate in the final election.”We’re in a holding pattern until the recount is done,” Audley said.