The Lackawanna County Election board decided Thursday to do a recount of all county races because a couple of machines malfunctioned in last week's election.
The glitch was discovered after election day, when the vote count just didn't seem right in Scranton's city council race.
The entire County will get a recount, some ballots will be recounted by hand.
The Lackawanna County election board made the decision after hearing arguments on behalf of petitions filed asking for a recount, including one from Scranton City Councilwoman Janet Evans.
"Election night, when the returns were coming in, I said there's something wrong here. Mrs. Evans could not be running third having both the Democratic and the Republican nomination," said Evans' attorney Boyd Hughes.
Election officials later discovered a few of the voting machines from the company ES&S Vote had malfunctioned and did not count straight party votes.
This news was unsettling for more than just a few candidates.
"If we're doing council and tax collector let's go ahead and do the mayor, too," said attorney Paul Kelly.
After board members went into executive session, they came out to announce their decision to the packed meeting room.
The ten races that received petitions will get a hand recount and the entire county's ballots would be recounted by machine.
County officials said the recount will come at no cost to the taxpayers.
"We'll make sure we do the right thing. You can't disenfranchise one voter. That's what democracy's all about. We will not do it," said Judge of Elections Judge Thomas Munley.
Still, there were some people there who came to speak out against the recount.
"A winner is a winner, a loser is a loser, by their count and I can't help what the county is doing with the mistakes being made up there," said Constable Frank Tancredo of Scott Township.
The date of the recount has not been determined yet.
Election officials said candidates will be notified before the recount is done.
Officials also said they still plan on using the voting machines from ES&S next year.
The glitch was discovered after election day, when the vote count just didn't seem right in Scranton's city council race.
The entire County will get a recount, some ballots will be recounted by hand.
The Lackawanna County election board made the decision after hearing arguments on behalf of petitions filed asking for a recount, including one from Scranton City Councilwoman Janet Evans.
"Election night, when the returns were coming in, I said there's something wrong here. Mrs. Evans could not be running third having both the Democratic and the Republican nomination," said Evans' attorney Boyd Hughes.
Election officials later discovered a few of the voting machines from the company ES&S Vote had malfunctioned and did not count straight party votes.
This news was unsettling for more than just a few candidates.
"If we're doing council and tax collector let's go ahead and do the mayor, too," said attorney Paul Kelly.
After board members went into executive session, they came out to announce their decision to the packed meeting room.
The ten races that received petitions will get a hand recount and the entire county's ballots would be recounted by machine.
County officials said the recount will come at no cost to the taxpayers.
"We'll make sure we do the right thing. You can't disenfranchise one voter. That's what democracy's all about. We will not do it," said Judge of Elections Judge Thomas Munley.
Still, there were some people there who came to speak out against the recount.
"A winner is a winner, a loser is a loser, by their count and I can't help what the county is doing with the mistakes being made up there," said Constable Frank Tancredo of Scott Township.
The date of the recount has not been determined yet.
Election officials said candidates will be notified before the recount is done.
Officials also said they still plan on using the voting machines from ES&S next year.
