By AMY FRANKLIN
The Associated Press
MASON - References to the drawn-out presidential recount in Florida were as plentiful as punchcard ballots Monday as elections officials began a recount in Michigan’s 8th District congressional race.
Surrounded by lawyers and representatives for Democrat Dianne Byrum and Republican Mike Rogers, two recounters each sat at eight tables arranged in an Ingham County building in Mason.
The Board of State Canvassers last week certified that Rogers won the race by 160 votes, opening the door for a recount request by both candidates.
Byrum, of Onondaga, needs a net gain of 161 votes to overtake Rogers, of Brighton, for the congressional seat left by Democrat Debbie Stabenow, who won a U.S. Senate seat.
Byrum had a net gain of six votes in the 25 precincts recounted Monday. Five votes had been challenged.
A number of recounters, including Mary Dunn of Ingham County’s Delhi Township, admitted to being nervous about reviewing ballots before they arrived Monday morning.
“I was a little shaky inside,” said Dunn, 57, after spending 1 1/2 hours helping to recount 886 ballots cast in Locke Township. “But it was not as tedious as I thought. You’ve got to keep your mind on what you’re doing.”
Michigan’s strict recounting system, which limits official votes to those that have the chad completely gone or hanging on by one or two threads, put many recounters at ease.
Elizabeth Bright, 73, of Lansing, called the recount hard work.
“I feel for the people in Florida,” said Bright as she snacked on tuna and crackers during her lunch break. “It’s a long, drawn-out affair. When you’re counting and someone says something, it throws you off.
“But I’m enjoying every minute.”
Rogers, who spent Monday talking to students about the work of a congressman, said the state’s strict election law will make it hard for him to lose 160 votes.
“It’s just very difficult to turn that many votes,” Rogers said, pointing out that vote totals already have been reviewed by county canvassing boards.
The first precincts to be recounted Monday were the ones requested by Rogers. Officials Monday eliminated one precinct from Delhi Township because a seal on the ballot box was broken, making it illegal to recount those votes.
Mike Hodge, an attorney for Byrum, said differences may come when workers get to precincts requested by Byrum, including East Lansing, Meridian Township and Lansing.
Rogers’ attorney John Pirich said Monday afternoon that it appeared four ballots would be challenged. Attorneys challenging ballots present their case to the county canvassing board and then can appeal to state canvassers.
Byrum made a brief appearance at the recount Monday morning to thank her representatives at the recount tables. Her spokesman, Adam Wright, said the recount was fairly calm Monday.
“No one’s eating chads yet,” Wright joked, referring to Florida’s presidential recount.
Before recounting ballots, portable voting booths are inspected and ballots counted to verify it’s the same number counted on election night.
Recounters slide ballots into color-coded envelopes taped to desks so they can determine which hole is punched. A Byrum vote shows blue through the punched hole, a vote for Rogers shows through red.
“It’s blue or it’s red,” said Greg Bird, a Byrum challenger who stood near Dunn as she recounted ballots. “It’s much better than what I expected. What’s going on in Florida is a much more tedious process.”
Michael Ryder, director of bureau of elections liaison division, said the color-coded system was started by Genesee County.
Challengers and attorneys for the candidates wore red or blue stickers to coincide with either Byrum or Rogers.
Steve Musselman, who answered an open call from Rogers’ office to work as a so-called challenger, said he wanted to get involved because of his increasing interest in politics.
“You don’t get this kind of opportunity that often,” said Musselman, 62, a former U.S. Air Force pilot.
A recount of Ingham County’s 144 precincts are the first of the 8th congressional district’s 328 precincts to be recounted over the next two weeks.
Recounters were to review punchcard ballots Monday and Tuesday, then move on to optical scan ballots cast in Leslie and Leslie Township later this week.
Twenty-eight Ingham County recounters, scheduled to work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a lunch break, are paid $10 per hour, said Mike Bryanton, Ingham County Clerk.
Eighth District congressional recounts are scheduled in Genesee County on Dec. 8, Washtenaw County on Dec. 11, Shiawassee County on Dec. 13, Livingston County on Dec. 14 and Oakland County on Dec. 15.
Livingston County Clerk Margaret Dunleavy was in Mason on Monday to see what she can expect next week.
“We’ve never had anything like this before,” Dunleavy said, looking around the room. “I came to check out how many tables they have and how they have things set up.”
