Akers’ win in coroner’s race confirmed after recount; Ripley County Sheriff recount is next week

Jim Akers will be the Butler County Coroner after a Wednesday recount confirmed his 30-vote August primary win over incumbent Andy Moore.

Another recount in the Ripley County sheriff’s race will take place next week.

“It’s happening this morning,” said Butler County Clerk Tonyi Deffendall early Wednesday.

“The statute says if the count is within 1%, the recount is automatic, but it still has to be court ordered,” said Deffendall.

Even with the automatic recount, Deffendall said, Moore still was required to petition the court for a recount, “but he didn’t have to cite any wrongdoing or anything.”

Moore asked Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett for a recount around Wednesday last week, she said, and her office was served Thursday morning with a court date for Friday.

“It went to court last Friday, and they put it together pretty quickly,” Deffendall said.

Two teams spent the day Wednesday in the County Clerk’s office for the recount.

By 3 p.m., Deffendall said, the recount confirmed Akers’ win.

The recount was done by hand, based on Pritchett’s order.

“The judge ordered a hand count instead of an electronic count, so there were physical human eyes looking at each ballot,” Deffendall said.

Akers, Deffendall said, will not face a Democratic opponent in the November election.

The last election recount in Butler County, Deffendall said, was many years ago.

“To the best of my knowledge, in the early ‘90s, there was a recount for a Qulin mayor race,” she said.

In the Ripley County sheriff race, Republican incumbent Mike Barton defeated challenger Richie Phillips by a single vote, 1,307-1,306.

That is well within the 1% margin of victory and triggers an automatic recount.

“It is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, in the courtroom here in the courthouse,” said Ripley County Clerk Becky York.

According to York, the court order for the recount stipulates each candidate can select two individuals to serve for the recount procedure.

Just like the recount in Butler County, York said, the Ripley County recount will be done by hand, per Pritchett’s order.

The count, York said, should take about a day to complete.