A recount of nearly 10,000 ballots in Lyon County resulted in nearly no change Wednesday.
The results of the recount related to the county’s vote on the so-called Value Them Both Amendment resulted in one “no-vote” being ruled invalid which Lyon County Clerk Tammy Vopat attributes to unspecified “human error.” She says this was the only change to the vote.
Lyon County was one of nine counties compelled to recount its votes on the constitutional amendment after two private citizens offered around $120,000 for the effort. Vopat reiterated that the recount was not due to any error in vote handling by the county.
As for why the county was selected, she cannot say.
All results must be to the Secretary of State’s Office by Saturday according to Vopat. Recounts of constitutional amendments do not have to be statewide. Candidates and voters can request recounts in counties where they dispute the results — if they pay for the additional round of tabulations.
Melissa Leavitt of Colby and Mark Gietzen of the Kansas Republican Assembly are spearheading the recount drive. During the primary election two weeks ago the county voted down the constitutional amendment by more than 60 percent while the state also voted it down by nearly 60 percent.
