Recounts Begin on Wednesday

While the shift of power in Concord swung to the right after the midterm elections on Nov. 4, a number of seats remain unresolved and will be recounted this week and next, according to the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s Office.

The recounts will take place at the state archives building on South Fruit Street in Concord and rooms 301 and 302 in the Legislative Office Building.

Unlike 2012, where the balance of power in the state Senate hinged on a recount between incumbent state Sen. Andy Sanborn, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Lee Nyquist (Sanborn ultimately prevailed), the recounts, in many cases, are formalities. Although, there are a number of ties this year, according to the unofficial results.

The state Senate seat being recounted is the District 7 seat where incumbent state Sen. Andrew Hosmer, D-Laconia, leads Republican challenger Kathleen Lauer-Rago, R-Franklin, by 132 votes. According to the results, there are 24 scattered write-in votes but an unknown amount of under- counted and over-counted votes.

The Merrimack District 26 floterial seat which includes Boscawen, Canterbury, Loudon, Northfield, and Ward 3 in Franklin has a 89 vote spread between Republican challenger Jason Parent, who has the lead, against incumbent state Rep. Lorrie Carey, D-Boscawen.

Both will be counted on Wednesday at the state archives building.

Rockingham District 21 four seats will be recounted on Thursday at the state archives building in order to decide who came in fourth and will represent the town of Hampton in the next session. The results show a tie between state Rep. Renny Cushing, D-Hampton, and Republican challenger, former state Rep. Ken Sheffert. Both received 3,019 votes, exactly 100 votes behind third place finisher David Wood.

The three Hillsborough District 22 seats, representing Amherst, will also be recounted. According to the unofficial results, 98 votes separates first place finishers Republican state Rep. Robert Rowe (2,892) and fourth place finisher, state Rep. Shannon Chandley, a Democrat (2,794). Chandley needs to gain 44 votes to tie, 45 to beat third place finisher state Rep. Peter Hansen, R-Amherst, who received 2,838 votes.

Another recount occurring on Friday will be the second place Merrimack District 9 seat, covering Canterbury and Loudon, where Loudon Democrat George Saunderson and Republican Michael Moffett, also of Loudon, both received 1,479 votes.

Recounts for Hillsborough District 28, Nashua Ward 1, and District 34, Nashua Ward 7, have not been scheduled yet but are expected to be undertaken next week. In the first race, 14 votes separate third place finisher, Republican Eric Eastman (1,641), and two Democrats, state Reps. Sylvia Gale (1,634) and Jan Schmidt (1,626). In the other Nashua recount, Democrat Allison Nutting (1,067) is 30 votes behind Republican Edith Hogan (1,110).

Other recounts will be held for seats representing Franklin, Manchester, Sutton, Wilmot, Bradford, Henniker, Claremont, Richmond, Swanzey, Mont Vernon, New Boston, Francestown, Greenville, Lyndeborough, Wilton, Campton, Alexandria, Ashland, Bridgewater, Bristol, and Grafton.

Photo caption: Spoiled ballots from 2012 recounted at the state archives building.