• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Sunday, August 7, 2022
The Iowa Torch
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion
The Iowa Torch
The Iowa Torch
No Result
View All Result
Home State Government

Miller-Meeks Campaign Blasts Scott County’s Recount Process

Scott County's recount board's absentee ballot tally is off by 12 from what the Scott County Board of Supervisors' recorded in their official canvass of votes.

Shane Vander HartbyShane Vander Hart
November 23, 2020
in Politics
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District Heads Into a District-Wide Recount

Former State Senator Rita Hart, D-Wheatfield, and State Senator Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Ottumwa

DES MOINES, Iowa – Republican State Senator Marianette Miller-Meeks’ campaign blasted Scott County’s handling of their part of the recount being conducted in all 24 counties in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. 

RELATED POSTS

Cammack to headline Story County GOP event in October

Bird calls for Attorney General Tom Miller to agree to formal debates

Analysis: A look at Iowa’s 2022 gubernatorial race

“After a week of the Second District recount, Mariannette Miller-Meeks is still winning this election, as expected, but the Hart campaign is doing its best to distort and manipulate the process. Because of the Hart campaign’s desperate practices, Scott County used an illegal recount method and is now missing numerous votes,” Eric Woolson, spokesman for the Miller-Meeks campaign, said in a released statement.

As of Sunday evening, Miller-Meeks leads former State Senator Rita Hart, D-Wheatland, by 38 votes in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District race. They said the hybrid method of counting ballots in Scott County leads to results that can’t be trusted. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Scott County’s recount board voted two to one to use a high-speed scanner to separate ballots with overvotes from other ballots and then hand count those ballots to determine voter intent. They used machines to tabulate the rest. 

An overvote is when a voter votes for more than the allowable number of candidates. 

This method contradicts guidance provided by the Iowa Secretary of State’s office.

Molly Widen, legal counsel for the Iowa Secretary of State’s office, said in a memo sent to counties, “If the Recount Board is going to conduct a hand recount of a precinct, then they are required by IAC 721—26.104 to tabulate all votes cast in that precinct. IAC 721—26.104 states in relevant part, ‘The responsibility of a recount board is to tabulate all votes for the office in question on ballots that were counted by the precinct election officials at the election.’ (emphasis added). Therefore, the Recount Board will need to determine on a precinct-by-precinct basis if a hand count will be conducted, and if so will be required to conduct a hand count of all ballots cast in that precinct.”

Woolson pointed to that guidance in the campaign’s objection.

“Iowa law requires a recount in each precinct to be conducted either by Iowa’s reliable optical-scan ballot tabulating equipment or by a hand count. The Iowa Secretary of State has instructed recount boards to use one or the other, but not to combine the two. Most recount boards have complied with that law, but the Hart campaign has advocated for an illegal ‘hybrid’ model in Democrat-leaning counties. The Scott County recount board, over the Miller-Meeks for Congress campaign’s objection and against the instructions of the Secretary of State, adopted this method,” he said.

“This hybrid recount method values some ballots over others and risks disenfranchising voters. The Hart campaign’s hybrid method also raises concerns about the accountability of the process. Because Iowa law does not allow for it, there is no accepted method to ensure that the recount results are accurate. There is no way to audit the work of the recount board using the hybrid method to verify its accuracy,” Woolson added.

He noted that at the end of the recount, Scott County’s recount board’s tally of absentee ballots is off by 12 from the Scott County Board of Supervisors recorded in their official canvass of votes. 

“This discrepancy in results means no one can have confidence in the recount of absentee ballots in Scott County. A recount that cannot even get the total number of ballots correct cannot be trusted,” Woolson said. “The Miller-Meeks for Congress campaign is committed to a fair and transparent recount process in full compliance with Iowa law. A legal recount benefits not just the candidates but all Iowans. The Hart campaign’s focus on overturning the results of the election at all costs has done a disservice to the process.”

Tags: 2020 Iowa 2nd Congressional District raceEric WoolsonIowa Secretary of State OfficeMariannette Miller-MeeksRita HartScott County
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

The ‘Taxpayer Is Always On The Hook’ With Empty Arenas, Convention Centers

Next Post

Japanese Spiber, Inc. Expands Production to Clinton Through ADM Partnership

Shane Vander Hart

Shane Vander Hart

Shane Vander Hart is the editor of The Iowa Torch.

Related Posts

A divided U.S. House passes ‘Assault Weapons Ban’ 2.0
Federal Government

A divided U.S. House passes ‘Assault Weapons Ban’ 2.0

August 1, 2022
Federal Government

Two bills Feenstra introduced pass in the U.S. House

July 28, 2022
Ernst: Let’s build the border wall instead of charging taxpayers to babysit materials
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: Defending our border and protecting our citizens

July 26, 2022
Hinson, Miller-Meeks, Axne, and Feenstra Sworn Into 117th Congress
Federal Government

Majority of Iowa’s U.S. House members vote to codify same-sex marriage

July 21, 2022
people riding carousel in park
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: County Fair Festivities

July 19, 2022
Miller-Meeks Asks If Feds Are Prepared to Support States, Cities Fight Cyber-Attacks
Opinion

Miller-Meeks: Aiding our children

July 11, 2022
Next Post
Japanese Spiber, Inc. Expands Production to Clinton Through ADM Partnership

Japanese Spiber, Inc. Expands Production to Clinton Through ADM Partnership

Ernst Says Sidney Powell’s Accusation Politicians Pay to Rig Elections Is ‘Offensive’

Ernst Says Sidney Powell's Accusation Politicians Pay to Rig Elections Is 'Offensive'

Sign-Up For Our Daily Updates

Get The Iowa Torch right in your inbox!

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

Recommended Articles

Reynolds Calls Biden’s Electric Car Goal ‘Short-Sighted’

Reynolds Calls Biden’s Electric Car Goal ‘Short-Sighted’

August 6, 2021
Ernst: “Defending freedom in Ukraine is defending freedom everywhere.”

Ernst: “Defending freedom in Ukraine is defending freedom everywhere.”

March 24, 2022
Ashley Hinson Says She Does Not Support Another COVID-19 Lock-Down

Hinson Says Let Trump Campaign’s Legal Remedies Play Out

November 20, 2020

Popular Stories

  • A divided U.S. House passes ‘Assault Weapons Ban’ 2.0

    A divided U.S. House passes ‘Assault Weapons Ban’ 2.0

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hinson: My work for Iowa is just getting started.

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Hendrickson & Randall: Restoring civic education in Iowa

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reynolds announces new statewide broadband map, requests public input

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Linn-Mar School Board approves controversial transgender policy

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

The Iowa Torch

The Iowa Torch​ is a for-profit, news organization that focuses on political news as it relates to Iowans

Categories

  • Education
  • Federal Government
  • Iowa History
  • Local Government
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • State Government
  • Uncategorized
  • Uncategorized

Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • State Government
  • Federal Government
  • Local Government
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Opinion

© 2022 The Iowa Torch, a publication of 4:15 Communications, LLC.