Recounts requested in Davenport races

At least two unsuccessful candidates for Davenport city office, and possibly a third, will ask for recounts following the verification of the Nov. 8 election results Thursday by a Scott County canvass board.

In the aldermanic contests, four races were potentially close enough to merit a recount, according to candidates. Those who have said they will ask for a recount include Dale Gilmour, who ran for 6th Ward alderman and lost by seven votes to current Mayor Charlie Brooke, and Dan Vance, who came in third among four candidates for two at-large seats on the City Council. He lost by 41 votes to incumbent Jamie Howard.

Gilmour called it a “voter verification count” and said he also planned to ask for one to assure his supporters that there is no doubt about the outcome of the race.

Bill Boom, who lost by nine votes in the 3rd Ward race to incumbent Keith Meyer, said he hasn’t decided yet, but is leaning toward seeking a recount. “(My campaign staff) said last night that I should ask for one.”

Pat Gibbs, who lost the 1st Ward race to Ron VanFossen by 44 votes, said he will not ask for a recount. “I’ve never seen an election change in all my time in politics due to a recount. I trust our voting system and I believe it worked well,” he said.

And interestingly enough....

The canvass board also settled ties for council seats in Long Grove and McCausland by drawing names out of a cookie tin that were written on slips of paper and put inside blue plastic eggs.

Ken Wuestenberg was chosen over Lloyd Claussen for the Long Grove seat and Keith Ehrecke was chosen over Holly Lynn Loussaert for the McCausland seat.