PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
November 19, 2002
LES FOSSEL WINNER IN SENATE DISTRICT 16
(AUGUSTA, ME) – A review of the disputed ballots Tuesday evening has shown that Les Fossel has won the Maine Senate District 16 election by at least five votes. Initial recount results proved to be inconclusive when the Democrats frivolously challenged a significant number of ballots that were cast for Mr. Fossel.
Initially Mr. Hall was ahead by nine votes with 165 contested ballots. That number of contested ballots was whittled down to 63 when both sides agreed to count 102 ballots where voter intent was mutually agreed upon, yielding an equal number of votes for both candidates.
Republican re-counters are confident that the remaining 63 ballots, when viewed objectively, yield a 14-vote margin for Mr. Fossel. By subtracting the initial nine-vote margin garnered to Democrat candidate Chris Hall after the first day of the recount, Mr. Fossel is left with a five-vote margin of victory.
Steve Lechner, attorney for Mr. Fossel, said, “It is clear, from everything we’ve seen over the course of the last two days, that Mr. Fossel has won this contest. After all of the votes are counted in this election, Mr. Fossel wins by at least five votes. It is time for Mr. Hall to concede the election.”
“It is time to put this political contest behind us and focus on the common problems and challenges of the people of Lincoln County and the state of Maine,” Mr. Fossel said.
The 63 ballots in question were categorized by re-counters to determine the nature of the objection. The attached spreadsheet details the votes in question.
“If the Democrats are unwilling to concede this election by the reality of the votes cast,” said Senator Mary Small (R-Bath), Senate Republican Leader, “they ought to at least agree to turn the disputed ballots over to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court for an advisory opinion. Such advisory opinions were issued in past contested House elections in 1965 and 1967.”
For Immediate Release
November 23, 2002
Contact: Dwayne Bickford
Cynthia Bergman
Overt Disenfranchisement of Voters Condemned
Potentially Disenfranchised Voters Decry Democrat Tactics in State Senate Recount and Demand Their Votes Be Counted
PORTLAND—Voters from Maine’s 16th Senate District gathered today in front of the Cumberland County Superior Court to decry efforts by Democrats to overtly throw out valid ballots and in doing so deny them their most fundamental right as Americans, the right to vote.
“I am here today because I want my vote to be counted and I don’t know if it will be,” said Lucia Wright of New Castle. “I am outraged that my vote may be thrown out because people are more interested in winning an election than protecting our rights as citizens to vote, this is terrible to witness.”
A Democrat attorney for Chris Hall is disputing some legitimate ballots because the voter used a blue or black pen, instead of a pencil . . .