Candidate for councillor says he won’t appeal
MINDEMOYA—With another recount of ballot results for Ward 2 in Central Manitoulin, the result showed the same results, although the actual vote count numbers changed again. However, candidate John Bisaillon, who had requested the most recent recount, has now indicated that he will not be asking for another recount or taking his issue to court.
“At this point I’m not going to be asking for a recount,” stated Mr. Bisaillon this past Tuesday morning, noting that court is the only option, but one he said he is not going to take.
As has been reported in the October 22 municipal election, candidate John Bisaillon had been declared the winner of a Ward 2 council seat, tallying 324 votes to Steve Shaffer’s 322. However, after a recount had been requested by Mr. Shaffer, these results were reversed, with Mr. Shafer receiving a total of 324 votes to 322 for Mr. Bisaillon.
After a request to council for a recount by Mr. Bisaillon early last week, another recount was held last Friday. In this tally Mr. Shaffer again had the most votes with 325; Mr. Bisaillon received 323.
“Mr. Bisaillon could approach council to request a recount, but if there is a dispute with the ballots this has to go through a Superior Court of Justice,” Ruth Frawley, clerk for the municipality of Central Manitoulin told the Recorder on Monday. She said that after she announced the results of the recount on November 9, Mr. Bisaillon would have 15 days from this date, November 24, to take it to the Superior Court.
Ms. Frawley said both candidates had disputed 28 ballots in the latest recount, but she disagreed. She indicated the dispute centers on voters having put an checkmark instead of an ‘X’ beside the candidate they were voting for. “The way I understand it as long as it is clear as to who the person who cast the ballot was intending to vote for there it is accepted.”
