Ballots found uncounted
Votes being tallied, Mermell prepares for possible recount
A recount could be looming in the 4th Congressional District race between two Democrats as more uncounted ballots surfaced on Thursday.
Officials in Newton, Wellesley and Franklin on Thursday restarted counting primary ballots after Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin filed a court order to authorize local poll workers to continue counting ballots that were received on time and had not been tallied by the end of Tuesday night.
In Franklin, poll workers Thursday evening were counting about 3,000 uncounted ballots — much more than the previously estimated 600 uncounted ballots, according to a spokeswoman for the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office.
The newly discovered 3,000 uncounted ballots were mail-in votes that appeared to have never made it to polling locations on Election Day.
The ballots loom large as Jesse Mermell trails by 1,377 votes to Jake Auchincloss with more than 96% of precincts reporting.
“We also believe based on conversations we’ve had with leaders in several communities that there may be even more uncounted ballots in communities across the district, and that’s deeply concerning,” Mermell said in front of Newton City Hall, ahead of ballot counting on Thursday.
After counting in Newton and Wellesely, Mermell picked up 240 votes compared to Auchincloss adding 174 votes — resulting in a net total of 66 votes for Mermell.
A recount can happen if the margin is 0.5% or less. After the counting in Newton and Wellesley, the margin in the 4th race is 0.93%.
“No one wants a recount, particularly in the middle of a pandemic, when we all want to be focused on the important task of getting rid of Donald Trump in November,” said Mermell, a former Brookline Select Board member and Gov. Deval Patrick aide. “But as we know all too well, it matters who’s representing us and our democracy is worth fighting for.”
Her campaign has started soliciting recount petition signatures “out of an abundance of caution,” a campaign spokeswoman said.
“Jesse is focused on the right count, not a recount,” the spokeswoman said in a statement. “No decision on requesting further counting has been made.”
Auchincloss, a Newton city councilor and former Marine captain, said that every vote that was cast before 8 p.m. on Election Day must be counted.
“I want to commend Secretary Bill
Galvin and the city and town clerks who have worked hard to make this primary election, the first one in Massachusetts with mail-in voting, a success,” he said in a statement. “As Attorney General Maura Healey tweeted out earlier today, ‘early voting and vote-by-mail WORK.’
“This is an important example for the rest of the country, at a time when President Trump is working hard to discredit mail-in voting and make it harder for people to vote,” Auchincloss added. “As the final votes are being counted, we as candidates must be conscientious in allowing Secretary Galvin to take the lead and ensure that the will of the voters is heard in the 4th Congressional District.”