Vote recount confirms Glenn Rogers’ win over Mike Olcott in Stephens County
By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Incumbent Glenn Rogers’ May 24 Republican Primary Runoff victory over challenger Mike Olcott in Stephens County was reconfirmed following an official recount of the paper ballots on Wednesday.
The recount totals confirmed that Rogers received 731 votes and Olcott received 284 for a difference of 447 votes. That was the exact same totals as reported on election night with the electronic tabulation.
The Stephens County recount had originally been scheduled to take place in the District Courtroom in the Courthouse, but the courtroom was being used for court cases. So, the recount was moved to the First National Bank Tower room.
Olcott requested the recount after the vote count in Parker County increased by about 2,000 votes on the Wednesday after Election Day when it was discovered that, as a result of a human error, some votes were not tabulated on election night in that county. On election night, the original vote totals for all of District 60, which includes Stephens, Parker and Palo Pinto counties, showed Rogers had won by 752 votes; however, when the additional votes were tabulated in Parker County, Rogers’ lead dropped to a little more than 300 votes. The request for a recount requires that the ballots in all three counties be recounted.
Click here to read the Breckenridge Texan’s previous article about the issue in Parker County.
Recounts are scheduled to take place in Parker County on Thursday, June 9, and in Palo Pinto County on Tuesday, June 21. According to Rogers’ statement, the Palo Pinto recount was originally scheduled for Friday, June 10, but has been rescheduled for later in the month as a result of Olcott’s objection.
“This is not only a victory for all of the people who worked hard to get me re-elected, but a victory for election integrity in the State of Texas,” Rogers said in a statement released Wednesday evening. “Everyone who voted, got to have their vote counted and re-counted without a single ballot up for debate.”
Cutline, top photo: Ballots from the May 24 Republican Primary Runoff election are unloaded and taken from the Stephens County Courthouse to the First National Bank Tower Room on Wednesday morning to be recounted for the Glenn Rogers and Mike Olcott race. The recount was held at FNB because the district courtroom was in use. (Courtesy Photo)
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