Marksberry Petitions For Recount

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 6:29 AM

Bill Marksberry

Branden Roeder

(Rising Sun, Ind.) - A vote recount will be performed to settle the race for Mayor of Rising Sun.

On Saturday, Bill Marksberry filed a petition for a recount with the Ohio County Clerk of Courts, asking for a recount in the city’s four voting precincts.

The incumbent Democrat lost in this month’s general election to 29-year-old Republican Branden Roeder, 388 to 383 votes.

With the narrow margin, Marksberry said he had many citizens urging him to seek a recount.

“With it so close and some discrepancies during the day of the voting I just want to make sure it was fair,” Marksberry said. “If it was Branden, I would expect him to ask for a recount also.”

Marksberry was ordered to pay a $250 bond to cover the cost of the recount. He cannot recoup the bond, even if the recount changes the outcome in his favor.

A date and location of the recount will be decided by Ohio Circuit Court Judge James Humphrey. A three-person recount commission will be assigned by Humphrey as well, likely consisting of one Republican, one Democrat, and a voting machine technician.

Roeder was served with a notice of the recount Monday. He told Eagle 99.3 he does not believe a recount will change the outcome.

“We’ll have a recount and be done with it. Whatever it is, it is and I’ll concede if I don’t have the votes,” Marksberry said.

LINKS:

Marksberry Contemplating Recount

Roeder, 29, Ready To Assume Mayor's Office

Five Votes Decide Rising Sun Mayoral Race