In Torrington, Connecticut, a recount held late Tuesday night confirmed Republican Joe Canino’s victory over Democrat Michelle Cook, an eight-term incumbent.
Local election officials say they ordered the recount due to discrepancies in vote totals and voter numbers, which nearly triggered a recount initially. Registrar Melissa Russell served as clerk and head moderator during the seven-hour process, in which officials recounted 7,000 ballots, none of which were cast on Election Day.
The recount was open to the public, allowing Torrington residents to observe alongside Republican and Democratic lawyers, which officials say helped maintain transparency and ease tensions.
Poll workers hand-counted nearly 200 ballots due to Election Day issues, including misplaced ballots and tabulator coding errors.
Before the recount, Canino held a lead of around 600 votes; after the recount, his lead narrowed to about 51 votes. Canino has said his focus will be on making the district more affordable by addressing taxes, energy, housing and related issues.
Though the recount is complete, it still awaits confirmation from the secretary of state. Connecticut’s deadline for recounts due to close or disputed results is Nov. 12.
