GOP primary: Recount starts, no changes yet in 23rd district

BRIDGEPORT — Day one of the Republican recount in the 23rd state Senatorial district is complete, and no change in the tally has been reported so far.

Monday’s recount between the two Republican candidates for the 23rd — John Rodriguez and Caz Mizera — involved the votes cast in Bridgeport. The 23rd district includes much of Stratford’s South End and most of Bridgeport except for a part of the West End and Black Rock.

Stratford’s recount will take place Tuesday beginning at 9 a.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers, 2525 Main St.

Rodriguez, the Republican party-endorsed candidate, came out ahead in the Aug. 14 primary by a sixvote margin over challenger Mizera. The tally was 147 for Rodriguez and 141 for Mizera.

In Bridgeport, Rodriguez received 131 votes to 87 for Mazura, and those numbers held up Monday. In Stratford, Mazura came out ahead with 54 votes to 16 for Rodriguez. The six-vote differential represents 2.08 percent of the total number of votes, 288. Rodriguez lives in Bridgeport while Mizera lives in Stratford.

Mazura needs seven votes to claim victory.

Both candidates are waiting for the final result before beginning their campaign against Dennis Bradley, a Bridgeport lawyer, who is the Democratic nominee.

In a recount, representatives from both camps inspect the paper machinescored ballots to look for “voter intent.” Ballots that are unintelligible or contradictory will not be counted.