Hodges cancels election recount

By Staff
Melissa Cason
HODGES – A recount scheduled for Monday morning to review election results from the town's Aug. 26 municipal election was cancelled.
Nick Howard, who challenged the results of the election after losing by one vote to Mayor Ed Crouch, decided not to ask for the recount because of the costs involved.
Howard's attorney Steve Graham, of Florence, said he filed a motion to contest the election on Monday, and that since the outcome of the recount would only give them another reason for the contest, Howard decided not to move forward with the recount.
Graham said the list of reasons include the town not publishing the voter's list until the night before the election; two to three people living outside the town were permitted to vote; two people who live inside of town were not allowed to vote even on a provisional ballot; the refusal to give voter an absentee ballot; and Russellville addresses on returned absentee ballots.
Howard said the cost of the recount was a major consideration for the decision.
"We don't need a recount to contest the election so we decided to cancel it," Howard said.
The cost of the recount would have been $920 – $620 for the data pack for the voting machine and $70 for four poll workers who have to be present at the recount.
Graham said the next step in the process is up to the circuit court system.
"We don't anticipate that this will take a long time to be resolved," Graham said.
The mayor's race was one of three decided by one vote in the municipal election.