The recount is finished and the totals remain the same. Larry Wells is the winner of the Republican primary election for the seat of Butler County Western District Commissioner.
Four candidates ran in the race. The initial count and the certified count of the ballots showed Wells as having won the seat by only two votes, with the final total being 666 votes for Wells and 664 votes for Kenny Barker. Following the close count, Barker said he was inclined to request a recount simply because the margin between winning and losing was so thin.
“I’m glad this is over and I think that everyone is pleased on both sides of this,” Butler County Clerk Donna Hillis stated. “There was definitely a learning curve with this whole process but I am happy with the way everything went.”
Wells noted that the results of the recount make him feel good about the integrity of elections in Butler County.
“I was very pleased to see how professionally everything was handled,” Wells said. “Everything was by the book, and all of the ballots were very closely secured. It was refreshing to see.”
The recount was initiated by a motion that was filed on behalf of Barker by attorney Dale Nunnery. The motion was filed Tuesday, Aug. 12, and Butler County Circuit Judge Kacey Proctor ruled there must be a recount. Both Wells and Barker nominated six disinterested registered voters from the western district of Butler County to assist in the recount proceedings. From those lists, four people were selected to aid in the recount. Proctor established the recount as needing to be scheduled at 9 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 22.
“The recount started at 9 a.m. and it finished sometime around 1:30 p.m.,” Wells remarked. “It took a while because it was a recount by hand. Each ballot was looked at and counted individually.”
Hillis said she believes the recount situation should inspire more confidence in the residents of Butler County regarding the election process.
“I was very happy to see that all of the counts stayed exactly the same,” Hillis noted. “It proved to me and to everyone else that the machine counting is efficient and reliable.”
The total number of ballots counted in the recount was 2,261.
“I just want to thank everyone involved in the clerk’s office and all the individuals who helped with the recount,” Wells said. “I’m humbled by seeing the extent of the whole process. And I am very grateful to all those who voted for me.”
Barker was not available for comment at the time of publication.