Decisions on Recounts to be Decided by Returning Officers

Josephine Tamai

Depending on which side you ask, there would likely be a prediction of a clean sweep either way. But political observers in the know believe that of the thirty-one seats up for grabs, quite a few will be hard fought. That brings up the question of recounts for those margins that are exceptionally close. Tamai says that any decision about recounts is solely that of the returning officer of the respective area.

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer

“Depending on the decision of the returning officer…the returning officer makes the final decision on how many recounts they will allow, because if the returning officer is of the view that the request is unreasonable, then he or she may not grant the recount. They will proceed, and then whatever challenges they have, it will have to be taken to the Court through an election petition.”

Mike Rudon

“In terms of being reasonable, one of the margins in Cayo was I think seventeen, which seems eminently reasonable to me, but the returning officer still did not allow the recount.”

Josephine Tamai

“Based on the information I received the last time around on why they did not allow the recount was that persons had already signed off on each box to say that they were satisfied that those were the amount of votes the person had received. Further information relayed to me was that at that point when the recount was requested, it was when the candidate had already left the room, and it was only then that he came back requesting a recount.”