The San Benito County Election Department announced that it began a recount of votes in the Hollister City Council District 2 race on Dec. 8 at noon in the Elections Department Courtroom 201. The recount is expected to continue through Dec. 15. The announcement stated that observers were welcome to observe the process.
Celeste Toledo-Bocanegra, Hollister City Council District 2 candidate, said her motive for requesting the recount was driven by her constituents and supporters who “raised some concerns and are asking for a manual hand recount.”
While she said it would be great if the recount favored her, she added that was not the reason for her request.
“My goal is to make sure that all constituents’ votes were properly counted. But my main goal is to compare the machine count to a managed recount,” she said.
Francisco Diaz, assistant county clerk/recorder, told BenitoLink the fees paid to date are $13,279.40.
“We will have two more days – which should add about $6,000 more to the overall cost,” he added.
Diaz said Toledo-Bocanegra notified the office she is committed to continuing the recount. He added the recount is at about 60% as of Dec. 12 and that he expects to be done on Dec. 15.
The Elections Department announced Dec. 2 that County Clerk, Registrar of Voters Joe Paul Gonzalez certified the Nov. 8 general election results. The two highest vote getters for District 2 were Rolan Resendiz, with 983 votes (48.23%) and Toledo-Bocanegra with 557 votes (27.33%).
Resendiz said the recount is a waste of money and county resources because the difference between the number of votes, 426, is too big for a recount to matter.
“There’s no way she can get it. She’s trying to buy a recount,” he said,
The Election Office will do a final cost analysis and will bill Toledo-Bocanegra any remaining balance or refund any excess payment.
Diaz told BenitoLink the evening of Dec. 8 as counting was taking place, that the elections’ office received Toledo-Bocanegra’s request for a recount Dec. 2, and a few days later the payment. He said the payment was a “reimbursement for services rendered outside of normal operations.”
“We began performing the administrative functions of the recount, which includes recruiting poll workers (who are paid $110 a day), meeting with county counsel to be prepared so we can do the actual manual count today,” he said Dec.8. “We’ve been working since 12 p.m. and we’re going all the way to 6:30 p.m. If the requester can pay the additional amount necessary, we’re going to continue the recount tomorrow and thereafter.”
He said no numbers will be released until the recount is completed.
“There is no official deadline,” he said. “It will continue until it is completed. If the requester fails to pay the recount stops.”
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