Candidates get some previously rejected votes as Westmoreland Eastern recount set to continue

WESTERN BUREAU:
The magisterial recount of ballots in the Westmoreland Eastern constituency will resume on Saturday morning with the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP’s) Daniel Lawrence tallying seven of 30 ballots that were rejected at the official count last weekend.

Lawrence also gained an additional vote after a ballot marked for him was found in polling division 28 in an envelope bearing the name of the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate, Luther Buchanan.

Buchanan, the incumbent, has received three of the previously rejected ballots.

Last Sunday, Buchanan was declared the winner after the returning officer cast a deciding vote to break the tie with Lawrence.

The JLP then filed for the magisterial recount.

"I would say the highlight of the day is that there was actually a vote for us which was found in an envelope for Mr Buchanan," Lawrence’s attorney O' Neil Brown told reporters at the end of Friday’s recount in Savanna-la-mar.

He said he found the development interesting.

Buchanan ended the day with 1,042 votes to Lawrence's 1,032 while independent candidate Haile MiKa'el polled five votes.

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