Koh submits signatures in recount bid
New tally likely Sept. 17
The 3rd Congressional District’s narrow second-place finisher, Democrat Dan Koh, filed more than 1,500 signatures with local election officials yesterday, sparking a recount of the thinly decided party primary that came down to 52 votes out of 85,000 cast in the 10-way contest.
Koh, former chief of staff for Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, collected and submitted far more than the 500 signatures required to trigger the recount before yesterday’s 5 p.m. deadline.
His campaign yesterday announced Koh would press forward with the recount.
“Dan is committed to making sure all ballots are counted,” the campaign said in a statement. “The closeness of the initial results — 52 votes out of 85,000 cast — and significant changes in vote counts in some communities over the last couple of days have made it clear that a recount is necessary to ensure every vote is counted.”
“We want the process to progress as swiftly as possible so that the ultimate nominee will have adequate time and resources to win in November,” the campaign added.
Front-runner Lori Trahan — the ex-chief of staff for former U.S. Rep. Martin T. Meehan — declared victory in the contest Tuesday night and has spent the days after the election also collecting signatures to “preserve our rights in the process.”
Trahan finished with 18,368 votes, and Koh with 18,316. On Wednesday, Secretary of State William F. Galvin ordered all the ballots impounded in the event there is a recount. Koh’s campaign has until Tuesday to file notice of the recount with Galvin’s office.
The recount would occur Sept. 17 in a public place yet to be determined.
Trahan spokeswoman Erin Quinnan said the campaign is confident its margin will hold through the recount.
“We want to do everything we can do to instill confidence in the hearts and minds of voters in this district that Lori Trahan is the rightful Democratic nominee, and she will participate fully in the recount process,” Quinnan said. “Lori plans to continue to campaign against her Republican and independent opponents to ensure that this seat is retained by a Democrat.”
Local election offices are also processing provisional ballots that are counted after all the other votes are tabulated. It’s unknown how many provisional ballots would be added to the current tally.
The Republican endorsed for the race, businessman Rick Green, said in a statement he supports the recount so voters’ voices are heard.
“However,” Green said, “if this recount becomes a power grab by either side, I intend to hold the Trahan and Koh campaigns accountable for taking advantage of voters and corrupting the democratic process.”