The Observer’s Report: Ballot Recount Executive Summary

Following the flawed ballot count on October 26, a ballot recount was conducted on November 2. The first ballot count on October 26, 2018 announced the result: 178 yes, 88 no, failed. Subsequent deliberations among disappointed WHC board members and MVF administrative staff confused the situation. Hence the recount on November 2, 2018 and its result: 188 yes, 88 no, pass.

With only two board members present for the initial ballot count, six out of eight Whetstone Board members participated in the recount along with three MVF administrative staffers in a ballot recount that took place in a mere fifteen minutes. Two teams of two board members went through the motions in processing staff prepared prepackaged stacks of ballot envelopes and ballot votes. These re-counters appeared to verify that each stack of twenty envelopes or ten ballots without actually studying the individual envelopes or ballots being passed in front of them and looking for exclusions. As a result, the ballot recount was a farce and delivered an inconclusive result.

With a flawed ballot count on October 26, 2018 and an inconclusive ballot recount on November 2, 2018, the Whetstone Assessment Increase Ballot measure was passed in the recount by the Whetstone Board of Directors. The MVF administrative staff is urged to archive the ballot envelopes and ballot votes in planning for future action in the event that ballot submission deadline compliance issues are more rigorously investigated further.

The Whetstone Assessment Increase Ballot vote continues as a disputed vote despite the farcical recount that delivered an inconclusive result. The ballot vote continues as a disputed vote due to:

1. The Whetstone Community Manger was not on site on October 19 at 5:00pm to lock down and secure the ballots.
2. All ballots submitted were considered valid ballots with no exclusions for improper identification, financial arrears, and late receipt of ballot submission past the deadline of 5:00pm Friday, October 19, 2018.
3. Despite a clear statement by the WHC President on the meaning of the 5:00pm Friday deadline,the MVF administrative staff spoke of post marked ballots being considered valid ballots.
4. The initial count of 178 yes, 88 mo, fail was overturned by a recount votes of 188 yes, 88 no, pass with not explanation of where the extra 10 yes votes came from.
5. In conducting the recount counters were not instructed to check envelopes for proper identification and evidence of late ballot submission nor counters instructed to check ballots for both yes and no or no vote.

The ballot recount specification template below was prepared by the observer as the defined process and template for evaluating and determining pass, fail, or inconclusive outcomes.

Ballot Recount Process

Procedure: Ballot Recount

Variables:
--Number of houses
--Number of ballots (envelopes received)
--Number of valid ballots
--Test 1 calculation
--Number of yes votes
--Number of no votes
--Number of yes and no votes
--Number of blank votes
--Test 2 calculation
--Pass/fail outcome

Begin

-- Count the number of ballots (envelopes) received. Count again to verify.
---Subtract the ballots (envelopes) with improper identification. Verify.
---Subtract the ballots (envelopes) in financial arrears. Verify.
---Subtract the ballots (envelopes) received after 5:00pm Friday. Verify.
---Calculate the total valid ballots. Verify.

--Calculate Test 1 quorum: total valid ballots minus 269 (60% of 447). Verify.
---If negative, the ballot fails.
---END [FAIL]
---If zero or positive, locate and remove those votes from the ballots (envelopes)
----With improper identification. Verify.
----In financial arrears. Verify.
----Received after 5:00pm Friday. Verify.
---If unable to correctly and convincingly locate and remove these exact votes from the designated ballots (envelopes), the recount is inconclusive.
---END [INCONCLUSIVE]

--Tabulate the votes received (yes, no, both yes and no, none). Count again to verify.
---Add the tabulated vote total (yes, no, both yes and no, none). Verify.
---Does the tabulated vote total match the number of valid ballots received?
-----If not, why not?
----END [INCONCLUSIVE]

--Calculate Test 2: yes votes tabulated minus 2/3 of the tabulated vote. Verify.
---If negative, the ballot fails. Verify.
---END[FAIL]
---If positive, the ballot passes. Verify.
---END [PASS]