Candidate to seek recount

Whitefish City Council candidate Turner Askew said Friday he will file for a formal recount of votes in the race he first won by four votes and later lost by two votes.

Election results posted Tuesday night initially showed Askew the winner over Martin McGrew, 608 to 604 votes. But two recounts on Wednesday put McGrew slightly ahead, with 694 votes to Askew's 692.

There was a substantial discrepancy in the number of votes because the scanning machine used Tuesday night jammed and incorrectly tabulated results, the election department said. A different machine was used for the Wednesday recounts.

Turner said he's the only one who can request a recount and was encouraged by Flathead County Clerk and Recorder Paula Robinson to proceed with the recount. He will pay for the recount.

"She [Robinson] wants to do a recount because the way this is, no one's going to believe they found 200-plus ballots overnight," Askew said. "The recount will confirm the election was fair. With her encouragement it was an easy decision."

Askew must wait until the county commissioners have canvassed the vote before he officially can file for the recount. The commissioners have scheduled the city election canvass for 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Askew said he has participated in hand recounts in past elections and based on that experience is "absolutely sure" the recount will produce different numbers.

"It may be in my favor and it may not be, but it will bring closure to this issue," he said.

Askew, a former Whitefish City Council member, and McGrew, who currently is chairman of the Whitefish City-County Planning Board, were two of seven candidates vying for three open council seats.

Velvet Phillips-Sullivan did not run for re-election, and Cris Coughlin's seat was open because she was appointed mayor a few months ago. The third seat is held by John Muhlfeld, who was re-elected. Ryan Friel also won a council seat and Mike Jenson was elected mayor.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com