Ballot recount launched in Metro Vancouver after early results show difference of 2 votes between candidates

Ballots from Saturday's election will be recounted in a Metro Vancouver city after preliminary results showed a difference of just two votes between two council candidates.

Ballots from Saturday's election will be recounted in a Metro Vancouver city after preliminary results showed a difference of just two votes between two council candidates.

Port Moody's chief election officer said in a statement Monday an internal recount was initiated to confirm early results.

"The preliminary results show a close result – a difference of two votes – between two of the candidates who ran for the position of councillor," Philip Lo's statement said.

"While the city's General Local Government Election Bylaw and B.C.’s Local Government Act do not require an automatic recount under such circumstances, I feel it’s the right thing to do and supports our values of fairness and transparency, and our commitment to democracy."

Preliminary results show council candidate David Stuart was elected with 3,596 votes. Amy Lubik came just behind him, missing out on a seat on council, with 3,594 votes.

Lo explained the recount will be completed by himself and local election officials. The team will look at the ballots counted by 10 machines used in the election: two advance poll machines, one for mail-in ballots, and seven used on Election Day.

Those results will be compared to forms submitted by poll supervisors to check for discrepancies, Lo's statement said.