A slim margin between candidates for the County Council District 6 has prompted Bob Myhr to request a hand recount of ballots cast in that race.
After all votes were counted, Jamie Stephens was ahead of Myhr 877 to 866, a difference of only 11 votes. State law says that an officer of a political party, any person for whom votes were cast at any election or any group of five or more registered voters may file a written application for a recount of the votes or a portion of the votes cast at that election for all candidates for election to that office.
“We have many generous and loyal supporters of our campaign and the election is very close,” Myhr said. “The election laws provide for an opportunity to request a recount and so I have done so.”
The Canvass Board has scheduled the recount on Nov. 29 at 9 a.m. The recount will take place at the Elections Office, 55 Second St, Suite A, Friday Harbor. The Canvass Board will convene on Nov. 30 at 8:30 a.m. to recertify the election.
Myhr and Stephens last ran against each other in 2005 .
Council terms are for four years and begin Jan. 1. Council members receive $35,000 a year and full benefits. Among other things, they adopt the annual budget, appoint committees, approve laws and set policy. The county administrator, who oversees the daily operations of county government, reports to the council.
Myhr was elected to the old County Commission in 2005 and served as the first council chairman under the county charter established in 2007. He and his wife Joyce have lived on Lopez Island for more than 25 years.
“One of the big differences in this election is that I’ve expressed where I stand on a variety of issues, and my opponent’s statements remain very general,” Myhr said in an earlier interview with the Sounder . “I think that’s a major difference between the two of us.”
Myhr worked as a business and non-profit consultant from 2002-05. Prior to that, he served as executive director of the San Juan Preservation Trust. During his 17-year tenure, he negotiated with property owners to preserve more than 8,750 acres of San Juan County farmland, shoreline and woodlands.
Earlier, Myhr taught political science at the University of Washington and managed an international group at Weyerhaeuser. He was also a Fulbright Scholar, earning his B.A. in economics from Amherst College, an MIA in international affairs and economics, and a Ph.D. in public law and government from Columbia University.
Stephens is property manager for Ledger Investments, LLC. He and his wife Lauren have lived on Lopez Island for 14 years and owned the Edenwild Inn from 2002-05. They have children in college.
In an earlier interview, Stephens said updating the Critical Areas Ordinance would be a priority for him if elected. “Part of the reason I’m running is that I feel that issues like the CAO, which were issues five years ago, have just been kicked down the road,” Stephens told The Islands’ Sounder. “No one’s going to be totally happy when it’s put together. It’s going to take a stiff back to put something into action that’s defensible.”
Up-to-date vote tallies are available at the San Juan County Elections Web site.
