A judge on Friday afternoon ordered a manual recount for the Texas County sheriff’s race on the Republican Ticket.
After a 21-vote margin separated candidates Tim Ceplina and James Sigman in the race for Texas County sheriff in the Aug. 7 primary election, Ceplina subsequently asked for a recount.
State statute allows the procedure if the difference is 1 percent or less of the total cast in the race.
In a short hearing Friday in Texas County Circuit Court, that recount became official and is now set for 1 p.m. today in the meeting room at the Texas County Administration Center.
The hearing was overseen by Phelps County Associate Circuit Judge Ronald D. White and attended by Ceplina and his attorney Kimberly Lowe, Sigman and a handful of observers.
The manual recount will be done by eight people — four representing each candidate.
Ceplina and Sigman will each be allowed to observe, and Deputy Clerk Linda Vandivort of the county clerk’s office will be available to assist, along with County Clerk Don Troutman.
The object of the recount is to determine the intent of any person who attempted to vote for a candidate, but did so in a manner that the electronic system didn’t recognize.
The tally in the sheriff’s race was: James Sigman over Tim Ceplina, 2,117-2,096. Wes Ellison of Willow Springs had 1,167. Countywide, there were 6,326 who voted in the election — but some didn’t cast a favorite for sheriff.
“You may have 360 blank ballots when you’re done, and there ends up being no change,” White said. “But you might find names circled or underlined and the machine would not have counted those votes.”
The manual recount will follow guidelines already set by the state and outlined on the secretary of state’s website. Should election judges end up with disputed ballots, White will determine what the voter’s intent was.
Troutman said that during his 33-year tenure, less than six recounts had taken place in Texas County.