Election review shows two extra ballots in Woodbury

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A review of Washington County election results came up mostly clean, though two Woodbury precincts each recorded an extra ballot when compared to the number of voters who signed in.

The Washington County canvassing board on Monday certified its election results, sending the data to the secretary of state’s office ahead of a state Canvassing Board meeting later this month. There is more attention to the normally routine canvassing process this year because of a likely statewide recount in the governor’s race.

The election night returns in Washington County did not change after a random precinct review by the five-member canvassing board.

“Everything checked out fine,” said Kevin Corbid, the county’s top election official.

County results show that 103,723 people voted in the Nov. 2 election.

In all but two Washington County voting precincts the number of people who signed in on voter rosters matched the number of ballots tallied, Corbid said. The exceptions were in Woodbury, where precincts 2 and 8 each reported having one more ballot than the number of voters who signed the roster. There were 26,119 Woodbury voters.

Corbid said the most logical explanation for the difference was that a voter was given a ballot and forgot to sign the roster, but that is not yet clear. The reason may be identified during a governor’s race recount.

“It was not enough to change an outcome,” Molly O’Rourke, the deputy county administrator and a canvassing board member, said of the discrepancy.

The county canvassed its results for federal state and county races. Cities and school districts separately will canvass results in their local races. Woodbury will canvass its mayor and city council results Wednesday.

All Washington County ballots will remain locked in an office until a likely recount in the governor’s race. If a recount is triggered, Washington County will hand count its ballots beginning Nov. 29, Corbid said.

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