Recount Changes Outcome of Palo Council Seat

By Claire Kellett, Anchor/Reporter

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By Daren Sukhram

Story Created: Nov 4, 2009 at 5:47 PM CST

Story Updated: Nov 4, 2009 at 6:22 PM CST

PALO - A close race in the Linn County town of Palo proves results on election night are unofficial.

Wednesday a special precinct board recounted write-in votes for a city council position in Palo, and found out someone else is the winner.

Many leadership positions needed to be filled in Palo - a new mayor, three city council members to serve for four years, and a vacant city council position to serve for two years.

Wednesday's recount of write-in votes only changed the outcome of the vacant city council seat.

Linn County Auditor Joel Miller isn't exactly sure how it happened because he has yet to talk to the election workers there, but he says somehow they left out some ballots with write-in votes when tallying results Tuesday night.

Wednesday Miller called for an administrative recount, and Palo will likely have a different leader than they thought Tuesday.

"We wanted to find out if these write ins made a difference and they did. Turns out Tom Sanders is the unofficial winner verse Alan Mengler," Miller said.

Miller said Sanders is the unofficial winner. It won't be official until Monday morning when they will canvass the results from most of the elections in Linn County.

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