Local elections often have lower turnouts and can be won or lost on the slimmest of margins. That was the case earlier this month when the race for a seat on the Canton Board of Trustees was decided by just two votes.
Austin Brasch came away from that April 6 election with 40 total votes, winning the first of two available board seats. But when Greg Ryan topped Cleophas Wooley by the narrow margin of 31-29, Wooley asked for a recount. So on Friday, Blaine County elections officials gathered at the Watonga courthouse to count the votes again.
The ballots were delivered to the second-floor courtroom by Sheriff Travis Daugherty shortly after 9 a.m. Associate Judge Allison Lafferty presided over the recount, which was administered by election board secretary Brenda Rice.
The four ballot counters divided the ballots into three categories: absentee votes cast via mail or through nursing homes, absentee early votes, and votes cast on Election Day at the Canton Community Building.
Both Ryan and Wooley were given the opportunity to look at each ballot before a “caller” named the two candidates who’d received its votes and two “tallyers” recorded those votes, calling out the new vote totals with every ballot counted.
At one point during the reading of the Election Day votes, which comprised the vast majority of those cast in the race, Wooley said his running count disagreed with that of the tallyers, and they reviewed those ballots again.
But when all was said and done, the tallyers had confirmed the original Election Day vote totals, with no discrepancies found, and Ryan held on to his narrow victory.
After the recount, Wooley – who spent $600 to request the review – said it was worthwhile to double-check, even if the result didn’t change.
“Years ago, I ran for the school board in Canton and was beat by three votes,” Wooley said. “I asked for a recount, and I won by one. So it can change. It was the first time ever in Blaine County history, according to the election board, that a recount had changed (a result).
“I have an investment in Canton with trying to help the town. That’s what any trustee is supposed to do. I felt like it was worth me putting up the money.”
Ryan said the professionalism he saw throughout the process is “what America is supposed to be.”
“It’s the first time, for me, ever having an experience like this at all,” Ryan said. “I was very impressed.”
An incumbent board member, Ryan said he will “continue to serve the people of Canton in the best possible fashion” during his new term.
“There’s absolutely tremendous people up there. Very, very good people. It’s been a privilege serving them, and I hope to continue.”
The Canton Board of Trustees now includes Ryan, Brasch, Carol Baird, Wanda Baker and Debbie Robinson.