FORTVILLE — A recount in the November Fortville Town Council election is set to proceed Monday, according to court documents.
Republican Robert Sterrett, who lost his at-large seat in the Nov. 6 election to Independent Fritz Fentz by 43 votes, paid a $2,300 bond on Friday, money that will cover the costs of the recount.
Most of that bond — $2,000 — will go to a company to operate a ballot tabulator. The remaining $300 will pay for three election commission members the special judge in the petition, Johnson County Justice Kevin Barton, has appointed to oversee the process. The recount must be completed by Dec. 20 unless the judge grants an extension, according to state law.
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The commission — comprised of a Democrat, a Republican and someone to operate the tabulator — will meet at 9:30 a.m. Monday in the Hancock County Courthouse to “consider a petition for instructions on the recount to avoid disruption of the recount process,” according to a public notice sent out on Friday. A hearing on the recount is set for an hour later, at 10:30 a.m. in Hancock County Superior Court 1.
Sterrett, who was appointed as an at-large council member earlier this year, has questioned the straight-ticket voting in the race. A brief filed by Sterrett’s attorney, Michael Griffin, referenced the count of straight-party Republican votes, according to court documents online.
The number of votes in the townwide at-large race — 1,275 total votes — and the 1,388 votes cast in the District 2 race between Republican Robert Holland and Independent Becky Davis, greatly differed. Holland, who handily won his bid re-election, received 118 more votes than Sterrett.
Indiana law states voters who choose straight-ticket voting must also select candidates in at-large races individually. At least one post on Sterrett’s Facebook campaign page reminded voters to “bubble in” a vote for him for the at-large race.
Griffin could not be reached for comment as of press time.
An earlier version of this story misreported the nature of the Fortville District 2 election. All Fortville residents can vote for candidates in any district and at-large race. We regret the error.
