Election recount request made

BONNERS FERRY — On Nov. 19, both David Sims and James “Dick” Staples, City of Bonners Ferry mayoral candidates on the Nov. 5 general election ballot, received a letter from Glenda Poston, the Boundary County Clerk, Auditor and Recorder.

The candidates were advised, via the letter, that the clerk’s office found four voters who were given ballots to vote in the election, even though they were not eligible voters. The four non-eligible voters were found ineligible because of their residential address.

Per Idaho Statute Title 34 Elections Chapter 23 Recount of Ballots, “a losing candidate for nomination, or election ... may request a recount of the votes cast for the ... election to that office ...if the difference between the vote cast for that candidate and for the winning candidate ... or election ... is less than or equal to one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) of the total votes cast for that office or five (5) votes, whichever is greater.”

The mayoral race was very close. Sims appears to have lost the race by only two votes to Staples.

“I have made the request to the Idaho Attorney General for a manual recount,” said Sims. “They haven’t set the date yet, but they expect it to be the first or second week of December.”

Regarding the election results, Staples said, “It was only two votes — I think that we all want to be sure that everything is correct.”