Orentlicher Files For Recount In District 8 Primary

David Orentlicher filed for a recount in the 8th Congressional District Democratic primary against opponent Ron Drake.

In the days right after the election, Drake led opponent David Orentlicher by 61 votes in the 8th district. After the counties counted absentee and provisional ballots this week, Drake is now up by only 53, out of nearly 60,000 total votes.

Orentlicher says it’s important to have an accurate count.

“Because mistakes are made, machines aren’t perfect, and the humans who count the absentee ballots and provisional ballots make mistakes, too,” Orentlicher says.

Even with the potential for a recount, Drake says he will likely come out on top.

“I feel confident,” Drake says. “I believe everything was fine, that everything was done appropriately. I have no reason to think that anything was inappropriate.”

The state recount commission will decide whether to grant the request for a recount. Orentlicher says he’s confident the request will be granted.

The commission would hold hearings to resolve disputed ballots and release final recount numbers by the end of June.