Recount takes a twist in Otter Tail

By The Daily Journal (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The integrity of the U.S. Senate recount was being questioned in Otter Tail and Wilkin counties Monday after it was learned that a woman who volunteered to help count ballots in Breckenridge served two days as a recount observer for Democratic candidate Al Franken in Fergus Falls.

Maggie Vertin of Breckenridge allegedly spent two days last week in Fergus Falls for Otter Tail County’s recount as an observer for Democrat Al Franken. She was also one of eight volunteers who assisted with the Wilkin County effort in Breckenridge on Saturday.

Wilkin County Auditor Wayne Bezenek told The Associated Press that his office was unaware that Vertin had worked as a recount official in Otter County. Had he known, Vertin wouldn’t have been allowed to volunteer in Wilkin County.

“Had I known that, she probably wouldn’t have been part of the team,” Wilkin County Auditor Wayne Bezenek, told The Associated Press. “That would have been the right thing to do.”

Otter Tail County Auditor Wayne Stein confirmed that Vertin worked for Franken during the recount on Wednesday and Thursday.

He told The Associated Press that for one day she was a table representative and had the ability to challenge ballots.

Vertin, who lives in Breckenridge and has a cabin in Otter Tail County, said she worked for a party during the recount in Otter Tail County, but would not say which one.

Likewise, she said she worked for one of the campaigns prior to Election Day, but would not identify it.

Bob Westfall, who was in Breckenridge on Saturday as an observer for Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, said he had concerns when members of his team learned a ballot counter had worked for Franken.

“I don’t understand how you can switch from being partisan one day to being neutral today,” Westfall said Saturday.

But Vertin told the AP that she was an objective volunteer. Vertin said she was able to set her politics aside to help with the Wilkin County recount. “I feel I can be completely unbiased,” Vertin told the AP.

Bezenek said he wasn’t concerned about the integrity of the recount results, noting that he closely watched Vertin’s table on Saturday because it had many of the precincts with the most voters.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie didn’t seem concerned, either.

Ritchie told the AP that he was not familiar with what happened in Wilkin County, but he has confidence in the county election officials.

“It’s not my job to second-guess county election officials,” he said.

By the end of the recount in Wilkin County, there were 18 challenged ballots, 11 by Coleman and seven by Franken.

Otherwise, the results did not change from Nov. 4, when Coleman won in the county with 1,814 votes to Franken’s 1,074.