Vote counters examine results Monday as part of a recount of votes cast May 13 in the Democratic race for Marion County Commission.
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Marion Commissioner Burley “Butch” Tennant conceded the Democratic nomination to challenger Rick Garcia Wednesday after a recount he continued for a second day failed to change the election’s outcome.
Commissioners Randy Elliott and Ernest “Ernie” VanGilder, acting as the county’s Board of Canvassers, certified the results of the race after Tennant stopped the recount.
“It’s over,” Elliott said.
The official results from the May 13 primary were Garcia winning with 2,505 votes, followed by Tennant with 2,500 votes and Dan Weber with 909 votes.
Garcia said he’ll regroup for his general election race against Republican Bill Burdick.
“We’ll relax this summer, then move on to November,” Garcia said.
Tennant stopped the recount following a hand count of two entire precincts and absentee ballots from five others, Elliott and VanGilder said.
“All the precincts we’ve reviewed were exact matches with the machines,” VanGilder said.
Tennant, who was seeking a second term on the commission, said it was time to end the recount.
“I checked seven precincts, and there was no change,” Tennant said. “I just couldn’t see going any further with it. The machines are pretty accurate.”
The race was nip and tuck all along…