Tally board confirms Howell on Council through recount

City Attorney Dale Patton, the Navajo County Superior Court, ordered a recount of 10 sealed rejected ballots on Wednesday, May 26, in accordance with state election laws.

The original Election Board and Tally Board members counted 480 votes for Howell and 475 for incumbent Thomas L. McCauley.

At 6 p.m., members of the Tally Board--Zula Graybeal, Cathy Varner, Helen Butler, Judy Douglas and Kathryn Rockwell were busy putting the ballots from the May 18 election in orderly stacks so that they could be recounted.

This recount verified the total of 1052 ballots. With this number determined, the five women divided themselves into roles and began to read each ballot aloud--but only the names of Howell and McCauley.

With Butler serving as inspector, Graybeal and Douglas as judges and Rockwell and Varner taking the role of clerks, the recount progressed.

Seven Winslow residents—including Judy Howell—listened from behind a taped-off barrier. Several tallied the votes along with the Tally Board.

With each vote read, the clerks simultaneously made hashmarks on an official form. With each fifth vote called, both clerks called out “tally.”

At the end of the count, the results remained the same with Howell receiving 480 votes and McCauley receiving 475.

The three seats open for election are therefore filled with Peter Cake receiving 647 votes, Robin Boyd receiving 531 and Judy Howell with 480.

For the office of mayor, incumbent Jim Boles won 545 votes over write-in candidate Robert Carr, who netted an impressive 370 votes.