Reply #8: WY: Trauner: Change law to allow hand counts [View All]

[MelissaB]

Trauner: Change law to allow hand counts

By BOB MOEN
Associated Press writer Sunday, November 19, 2006

CHEYENNE -- Because Wyoming law does not allow for hand counting of ballots, Democrat Gary Trauner didn't think there would be any change in the outcome of the U.S. House race by simply having a recount by machine.

In his Thursday statement announcing that he wouldn't ask for a recount in his close race against incumbent Republican Barbara Cubin, Trauner said he believes the state needs to look at changing its election laws to allow counting ballots by hand if necessary.

"What is the purpose of having recounts in tight races and using machines that keep a paper ballot, if the law does not allow for manual checks and balances in counting those paper ballots?" he said.

Peggy Nighswonger, state elections director, confirmed there was no provision for hand counting ballots in Wyoming. The only instance she could think of where a recount by hand might occur is if all the tabulation machines in a county broke down, she said.


More: http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2006/11/19/news/wyoming/609a665bf26f56068725722900043474.txt