Respicio and Calvo Leave Hand Count Decision up to GEC
Senator Rory Respicio is hoping the GEC will do what he believes is the right thing.
November 11, 2014Updated: November 11, 2014
By KUAM News
By KUAM News by Sabrina Salas Matanane
Guam - In Decision 2014, committee chair on election reform and the Democratic Party of Guam Chairperson, Senator Rory Respicio is hoping the Guam Election Commission will do the right thing when it comes to addressing a letter written Monday by Gutierrez-Gumataotao campaign manager Joaquin Perez.
Although incumbents Eddie Calvo and Ray Tenorio received close to 10,000 more votes than their opponents Carl Gutierrez and Gary Gumatoaotao, their campaign chair wants a partial recount. As we reported Monday, Perez made the request to the GEC citing several reasons including the fact that the test run of the tabulation machines prior to the general election turned up some discrepancies, that jurisdictions where these same machines are used manual audits are conducted, and because the tabulators didn't meet bid specifications requiring the ability to obtain optical images of the ballots.
Respicio said, "I think that they raise a strong argument. I believe that the Guam Election Commission will do the right thing and honor the request and everything will be resolved before the November 19th deadline to certify the results. Both parties, I'm sure will provide all the manpower and volunteer work necessary to get this done. They can't claim that money is an issue. They can't claim they're under pressure to certify the election results. Everything is set up so that we have this opportunity after every Primary and General election to fully resolve those kinds of concerns."
The Gutierrez-Gumataotao camp is specifically requesting a hand count of ten precincts randomly selected by lottery by the Guam Election Commission. "And if there's a variance then you keep counting some more, but I think we have an opportunity here to fully put to rest the 2014 election by resolving it this way," he said.
As for Governor Calvo, he's leaving the matter to the GEC, but is moving forward. Not only did the Calvo-Tenorio team beat out their Democratic challengers but also won in every single village in Guam, the first in island history. Calvo told KUAM News, "I'll let the GEC do their jobs. I believe the people have spoken. I'm focusing right now brining the Republicans, Democrats and all the citizens of Guam together and moving forward in the right direction. We believe there's been a lot of progress that has been done in the last four years but there's still a lot more work to be done so ill let those things get ironed out by those folks at the election commission."
The next scheduled meeting for the GEC is November 20th at 5:43pm.
REVIEW THE RESULTS FROM THE DECISION 2014 GENERAL ELECTION
Guam - In Decision 2014, committee chair on election reform and the Democratic Party of Guam Chairperson, Senator Rory Respicio is hoping the Guam Election Commission will do the right thing when it comes to addressing a letter written Monday by Gutierrez-Gumataotao campaign manager Joaquin Perez.
Although incumbents Eddie Calvo and Ray Tenorio received close to 10,000 more votes than their opponents Carl Gutierrez and Gary Gumatoaotao, their campaign chair wants a partial recount. As we reported Monday, Perez made the request to the GEC citing several reasons including the fact that the test run of the tabulation machines prior to the general election turned up some discrepancies, that jurisdictions where these same machines are used manual audits are conducted, and because the tabulators didn't meet bid specifications requiring the ability to obtain optical images of the ballots.
Respicio said, "I think that they raise a strong argument. I believe that the Guam Election Commission will do the right thing and honor the request and everything will be resolved before the November 19th deadline to certify the results. Both parties, I'm sure will provide all the manpower and volunteer work necessary to get this done. They can't claim that money is an issue. They can't claim they're under pressure to certify the election results. Everything is set up so that we have this opportunity after every Primary and General election to fully resolve those kinds of concerns."
The Gutierrez-Gumataotao camp is specifically requesting a hand count of ten precincts randomly selected by lottery by the Guam Election Commission. "And if there's a variance then you keep counting some more, but I think we have an opportunity here to fully put to rest the 2014 election by resolving it this way," he said.
As for Governor Calvo, he's leaving the matter to the GEC, but is moving forward. Not only did the Calvo-Tenorio team beat out their Democratic challengers but also won in every single village in Guam, the first in island history. Calvo told KUAM News, "I'll let the GEC do their jobs. I believe the people have spoken. I'm focusing right now brining the Republicans, Democrats and all the citizens of Guam together and moving forward in the right direction. We believe there's been a lot of progress that has been done in the last four years but there's still a lot more work to be done so ill let those things get ironed out by those folks at the election commission."
The next scheduled meeting for the GEC is November 20th at 5:43pm.
REVIEW THE RESULTS FROM THE DECISION 2014 GENERAL ELECTION