Machine recount to take place for Port of Olympia Commission, District No. 2 race

A recount of ballots is going to take place in the razor thin race for the Port of Olympia Commission, District No. 2 seat.

The Thurston County Canvassing Board approved a schedule for a machine recount at a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 24. The recount will start at 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 1.

“Candidates Jerry Toompas and Bob Iyall finished within the range requiring a mandatory machine recount. A machine recount occurs if the vote difference is less than 2,000 and less than (0.50 percent),” the canvassing board said in a statement.

“The total vote difference between the candidates was 190 and the percentage difference was (0.24) percent.”

The board is going to convene to certify the results of the recount at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5.

As it stands, Toompas ended up with 39,296 votes or 49.90 percent of the vote, while incumbent Bob Iyall finished with 39,106 votes or 49.66 percent of the vote.

“Scanned ballot images are recounted by the tabulation system software in a machine recount. Paper ballots are not retrieved or recounted,” said the canvassing board about the recount process.

“Ballots without votes in the Port District 2 race are examined to inspect for potential marks and verify no votes were cast. The (Thurston) County Canvassing Board will resolve any ballot issues raised during the recount.”

The process is codified under state law.