Recount sought by state House candidate
GOSHEN — A recount has been requested in the Republican primary race for state House District 49 despite a difference in the initial count of nearly 1,800 votes.
Cindi Hajicek, challenging incumbent Rep. Joanna King, filed a petition Wednesday with the Indiana Election Division and the Indiana Recount Commission in Indianapolis.
Hajicek held a makeshift rally on the steps of the courthouse in Goshen without mentioning the recount. Neither she nor officials with the Indiana Secretary of State nor the Indiana Election Division returned calls for comment on Friday.
Because the race involves a state legislative seat, the Indiana Election Division will conduct the recount.
Elkhart County Clerk Chris Anderson said Indiana State Police arrived Thursday morning at the Elkhart County Administrative Building and impounded the election equipment until the recount is completed. He said neither the local election board and nor staff will not have access until the recount is complete.
Because local officials do not have access to the ballots, provisional ballot counting that was scheduled for Friday by the board was canceled and will have to be rescheduled, Anderson said. Only about 100 provisional ballots are in question, he said.
According to unofficial results released after the May 7 primary, King won the election with about 65 percent of the vote, 3,805 to 2,047.
District 49 includes almost all of the southeast half of Elkhart County.
