GREENFIELD — Robert Sterrett, who lost a close race for an at-large seat on the Fortville Town Council earlier this month, has filed a petition for a recount, court documents state.
Sterrett, the incumbent Republican, lost to Independent Fritz Fentz by 43 votes. Fentz received 659 votes to 616 for Sterrett.
Although the reasons for requesting the recount were not stated in paperwork filed this week in Hancock County Superior Court, Sterrett, through his attorney, Michael Griffin, presented a packet of material to the election board on Nov. 16 as it met to certify results from the Nov. 8 election. Sterrett apparently was asking about straight-ticket voting, because election board member Bob Bogigian, shortly before the result was unanimously certified, told Griffin the law is clear on voting a straight ticket. No other discussion occurred at the meeting.
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Under Indiana law, voters must vote for at-large races individually. Thus, any Fortville resident who cast a straight-ticket Republican ballot did not automatically vote for Sterrett. By comparison, straight-ticket votes did count for the other Republican running for a Fortville council seat, Robert Holland. He received 118 more votes than Sterrett.
On Tuesday, the Hancock County Superior Court received a notice of petition for recount.
Fentz said he had mixed emotions upon learning his opponent — who is also his next-door neighbor — was contesting the vote.
“I really don’t know what to think about it all,” Fentz said. “I suppose we’ll just have to allow the courts to take their course.”
Sterrett declined to comment for this story. His attorney, Griffin, likewise declined to comment.
