Recount confirms SB2 vote fails

A recount of the school district's March 11 vote on moving to a Senate Bill 2 style of balloting has confirmed that the proposal failed by a narrow margin.

A hand recount of the votes on Thursday determined that an SB2 warrant article that would have favored putting all town warrant questions on a paper ballot rather than having them voted on at School District Meeting failed to garner the 60 percent majority needed to pass.

Moultonborough Superintendent Michael Lancor said the recount showed that the SB2 question got 733 'yes' votes and 525 'no' votes, giving it a 58.24 percent majority.

The number differed only slightly from the reported 58.13 majority reported after the initial March 11 results were released.

The recount turned up about 16 less total votes on the question and recorded 75 unmarked ballots and two "spoiled" ones, meaning that they were unable to be read with any certainty as to the intent of the voter.

The ultimate result of the recount is that Moultonborough School District voters will keep a school district meeting style of voting.

Meanwhile, a recount will also be held on the SB2 results from the "municipal" side of the ballot.

On March 11 an SB2 question for the town got 748 'yes' votes and 588 'no' votes, giving it a 58 percent majority — a mark that again fell short of the needed 60 percent.

Moultonborough Town Clerk Barbara Wakefield said a recount of those votes will take place on Tuesday at 1 p.m.