Forest Lake mayoral vote recount has no change in result; Daninger re-elected

At the end of a long day on Thursday, a recount in the Forest Lake
mayoral election turned up little different than the results from
Tuesday, Nov. 5.

When the recount was completed Thursday night, the final tally read: Ray
Daninger 2336; Dick Tschida 2316; and Terry Smith 1407. The election
night count had given Daninger a 21-vote victory over Tschida, a former
town board chair in the former township. Smith gained two votes from his
Election Day total. The margin of victory by Daninger over Tschida became 20.

Forest Lake Mayor Ray Daninger

Tschida requested the recount, which began at 9 a.m. and concluded
shortly before 7 p.m. with votes by the council canvassing board, last
week.

The lengthy process involved the hand counting of 7029 ballots cast in
the city election last week. City Administrator Chip Robinson served as
chief recount offiicial with election judges and City Clerk Chantel
Doirott assisting in the process.

The final step of the day was the canvassing board's certification of 185
challenged ballots. The challenged ballots were ballots that lacked one
or both of the signatures of election judges on Election Day. Most were
likely absentee ballots, city officials said.

Of the 185 challenged ballots, 182 came from the three precincts in the
former township area of Forest Lake.

During its session as the canvassing board, the council voted 4-0 to
accept the results of the recount of the challenged ballots in each of
the five precincts. Council followed with a final voted, also 4-0 to
certify the results of the Tuesday recount.

Voting in favor were Council members John Tom Lynch, Judy Bull, Bruce
Carlson and Smith. Daninger did not take part in the council table
discussion.

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