Recount begins today for Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore federal riding
Initial result count had Conservative Kathy Borrelli unseating Liberal Irek Kusmierczyk
The roughly 70,000 ballots cast in the recent federal election for the Windsor—Tecumseh—Lakeshore riding will be recounted starting today.
Elections Canada will conduct it at an office in the Green Valley Plaza in Tecumseh.
Ontario Superior Court Justice J. Ross Macfarlane made the ruling back on May 9 stating he was satisfied that there was enough evidence brought forward by the legal team of Liberal Irek Kusmierczyk to warrant an official recount.
Conservative Kathy Borrelli won by 77 votes on April 28.
"We got a shot. That's all we asked for," Kusmierczyk previously told reporters.
An automatic recount would have been triggered if the margin was 70 votes or fewer.
When the recount was ordered, Borrelli said in an emailed statement that she respects the judge's decision.
"My team will co-operate fully in all that is required," she said.
More than 500 of the roughly 70,000 ballots cast in the riding were rejected, according to Elections Canada.
Jeff Hewitt, a lawyer who represented Kusmierczyk at the May 9 judicial review, cited more than a dozen affidavits from scrutineers for Kusmierczyk's campaign who said they noticed rejected ballots that they believe were actually valid.
With files from Emma Loop