Election Commission conducts recount of primary results

Guam Election Commission officials spent Saturday conducting an automatic recount for contested spots in this year’s primary election.

As of 4:30 p.m. GEC officials had counted ballots from 26 of the 67 precincts. Maria Pangelinan, GEC executive director, anticipated the recount would be complete by 8 p.m. See the results of the recount on www.GuamPDN.com.

The election commission first announced it would conduct a recount on Thursday for the top two Democratic gubernatorial candidates, and the 15th and 16th place candidates for both parties’ senatorial races.

The commission conducted the recount using three tabulation machines, which by 2 p.m. Saturday were “zeroed out” so the recount could officially begin.

The Election Commission has until Sept. 21 to certify the results of the primary election ahead of the General election in November.

Under election law, if the tabulation indicates that a difference in votes is 2 percent or less, an automatic recount is required, regardless of any issued requests by concerned parties. While the law is silent on how to calculate the 2 percent, officials voted to adopt a formula offered by independent commissioner Patrick Civille.

“We are an automatic recount jurisdiction, which means whatever that magic number — for Guam it’s 2 percent, a lot of other places it’s a smaller percentage … the recount is automatic, regardless of whether anyone asks for it,” Civille said.

More: Election commission to hold recount for Primary Election votes

260 vote difference

Democrat Sen. Frank Aguon Jr. and running mate Alicia Limtiaco requested the recount because of a 260-vote difference between them and the gubernatorial team of former Sen. Lou Leon Guerrero and running mate Joshua Tenorio.

They also requested the recount be done by hand, which election commissioners denied.

On Saturday, the Aguon-Limtiaco team issued an official statement demanding their party be allowed to examine spoiled ballots, citing Guam Law that allows a review of ballots by persons only when a recount is being conducted.

Whoever is declared the winner in the Democratic gubernatorial race will face Republican Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio and running mate Tony Ada in the general election. Tenorio-Ada ran unopposed in the Republican primary race.