MT Repugs may have screwed themselves Montana law may forbid Burns recount

[wakeme2008]

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Montana_law_may_forbid_Burns_recount_1108.html

Brian Beutler
Published: Wednesday November 8, 2006

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Major media organizations, including AP and CNN declared Democratic candidate Jim Tester the victor in the Montana Senate race against Republican Conrad Burns.

Though Burns has not yet conceded, he'll be unable to request a recount, RAW STORY has learned.

In 2005, Montana state code 13-16-201--the section concerning recounts in close or contested elections--states, "a candidate for a congressional office, a state or district office voted on in more than one county, the legislature, or judge of the district court is defeated by a margin not exceeding 1/4 of 1% of the total votes cast for all candidates for the same position.

..more at link...

IMHO this law was probably passed after 2000 to prevent another Florida.....

[keithjx]

1. As pointed out on the RAWSTORY page,

further in the code is 13-16-211, which lets Burns request a recount if the margin of defeat is greater than 1/4 of 1% but does not exceed 1/2 of 1% . This code was enacted in 1979.....
KJ

[flowomo]

2. That's apparently just for an "automatic" recount.....

I read the code in the Raw link. It says a recount "must" be conducted under those conditions. Not "can only be"