Graham files petition for recount in Ward 7 race

Republican Ward 7 Hopkinsville City Council candidate Mark Graham has filed a petition in Christian Circuit Court requesting a manual recount in his GOP primary against Doug Wilcox that initially ended with Graham losing by one vote.

That was before it was confirmed at a Wednesday Board of Elections meeting that an issue with how Tenex programmed software that ensures voters get the correct ballot actually directed poll workers to give 109 voters in Ward 8 a Ward 7 ballot.

The Board of Elections has been awaiting guidance on how to proceed from the Attorney General’s Office and the most likely outcome was thought to be a revote in some form under the direction of a circuit judge.

Graham’s petition asks the court to decide “the best way to remedy this obviously flawed election” and he says that requires the integrity of the ballots to be determined. Graham says he’s willing to incur the costs of the recount. He asks that all ballots and other items pertaining to the election in Ward 7 to be turned over to the court and for a date as soon as possible to be set for the recount.

Assistant Christian County Attorney Lincoln Foster issued a statement saying, “We’ve received correspondence from the Attorney General’s Office as well as Mr. Graham’s petition for recount. We look forward to a swift and fair resolution now that the matter is before the Circuit Court. “