Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Haines, formally requested a recount Wednesday in the close-fought Alaska House of Representatives race in which he trails Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins by 34 votes.
The Alaska Division of Elections certified the result in House District 34, a seat that encompasses Sitka, Haines, Angoon, Craig, Metlakatla and several other Southeast Alaska communities, last Friday. Thomas had until 5 p.m. Wednesday to request a recount.
“I have a lot of people asking me to go forward with it,” Thomas said Wednesday, after Elections Director Gail Fenumiai announced that a recount would take place.
The recount will take place at 9 a.m. Monday in Juneau, at the Director’s Office of the Division of Elections downtown.
“All ballots during a recount are scanned using the optical scan units,” wrote Fenumiai in an email.
Thomas said he will be in Texas Monday, rendering him unable to attend the recount.
The result of Thomas’ 2004 election was also settled only after votes were recounted. Thomas was ultimately certified as the victor by 59 votes.
Reacting by email Wednesday to the decision to recount ballots, Kreiss-Tomkins wrote, “Thank goodness this is the final hurdle for an otherwise epic election.”
Kreiss-Tomkins added, referring to the 1962 adventure film famous for its three-and-a-half-hour length, “We just about make ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ look like (a) 30-second television spot by comparison.”
The matchup between Kreiss-Tomkins and Thomas was made possible by redistricting, which placed Thomas in the new House District 34 together with Sitka, a Democratic-leaning city that is the new district’s largest population center.
Sitka was formerly represented in the House by Rep. Peggy Wilson, R-Wrangell, whose new District 33 encompasses the City and Borough of Wrangell, Ketchikan Gateway Borough and northern Prince of Wales Island.
The Division of Elections also certified the results of all races in the Nov. 6 general election Wednesday.
In addition to the District 34 race, one other race has not been finalized.
Republican Bob Bell said Monday that he wants a recount in his race against Sen. Hollis French, D-Anchorage, in Senate District J. Bell trailed by 51 votes as of last Friday.
That recount takes place today in Juneau.
• Contact reporter Mark D. Miller at 523-2279 or at mark.d.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (4)
Add commentC'mon Bill, it's over.
Just accept that you lost and move on. There's no way a recount is going to flip enough voted to elect you now.
You had your shot already.
Bill is a total pud.
Bill is a total pud.
Congratulations Jonathan,
Congratulations Jonathan, best of luck to you. Bill............ don't let the door hit your arrogant butt on the way out!
Typical of Thomas
to wait until the last minute to request the recount.
His constituents have never been his first priority.
Kudos to Jonathon to handling his candidacy with grace and good humor.
Alaska will be lucky to have such a principled legislator as Jonathon Kreiss-Tomkins.