Nearly 10,000 ballots from the primary election two weeks ago are now being recounted in the Lyon County Courthouse Tuesday.
The ballots represent Lyon County’s vote for House Concurrent Resolution 5003, the so-called Value Them Both constitutional amendment that would have had lawmakers as the final authority on abortion regulations instead of the Kansas Supreme Court if it passed. The amendment failed in Lyon County, with over 60 percent of voters casting ballots against the measure, and statewide, where almost 60 percent of votes cast were against the amendment.
Lyon County is one of nine counties chosen for a recount after two private citizens offered almost $120,000 total. Results need to be reported to the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office by Wednesday. Lyon County Clerk Tammy Vopat believes the local recount may be done by the close of business Tuesday.
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.
7:30 pm Monday: Lyon County among nine counties involved in constitutional amendment recount
There will not be a statewide recount of the results for the constitutional amendment on abortion regulations. There will be a much more limited recount — and Lyon County is one of the counties on the list.
The Kansas Secretary of State’s Office says it received almost $120,000 for the recount, which must be completed by Wednesday. Lyon County Clerk Tammy Vopat says the recount will begin shortly after 8 am Tuesday and could be finished before 5 pm.
What was called the Value Them Both amendment, which would have had lawmakers instead of the Kansas Supreme Court as the final say on abortion regulations, was soundly defeated in Lyon County, with 6,265 of the 9,890 votes cast against the amendment.
The amendment also failed in seven of the other eight counties involved — Crawford, Douglas, Harvey, Jefferson, Johnson, Sedgwick and Shawnee. Thomas County’s recount is being funded by another citizen. The amendment passed in Thomas County.
Statewide, almost 60 percent of votes cast were against the amendment.
The recount comes with the Lyon County Clerk’s Office still working to finalize new valuation tax notices after a formula error from the county’s vendor led to incorrect information getting mailed out early last week. The current schedule has new valuation tax notices getting mailed Wednesday.
