The leader of the People’s Alliance of New Brunswick says he will seek a recount in his riding of Fredericton-Grand Lake.
Kris Austin earned 2,377 votes in last week’s provincial election – 26 fewer votes than Progressive Conservative candidate Pam Lynch, who won the seat with 2,403 votes.
Austin went to the Court of Queen's Bench in Fredericton on Monday to file an application for a recount, but still has to get some documents in order.
He says he now expects to apply for the recount on Tuesday.
“We’ve got a few more pieces of information we’ve got to get together before we can formally apply, but the info we got today is leading us in the right direction,” says Austin.
“I’m not expecting a whole lot of change but my biggest concern is that people in New Brunswick have lost some hope in the system and I think the only way to regain that, that trust, is to do this recount and I’m encouraging other candidates that were close to do it as well because the people deserve that, regardless of the outcome of the recount.”
Questions have been raised about the accuracy of the election results after a software glitch affected the automated vote-tabulating machines, resulting in a delay in posting the results.
But Elections New Brunswick says the results are accurate and official and they are prepared to act, if called upon by the court to do so.
“We will then have to make sure that we deliver all of the ballots that were cast in the electoral district to the courtroom…those are the ballots that were counted, the ones that were spoiled as well as the ballots that were rejected,” says Paul Harpelle of Elections New Brunswick.
Elections New Brunswick expects at least one other recount to be requested; the riding of Saint John – East saw a margin of victory of just eight votes.
The deadline for requesting a recount is 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell and The Canadian Press
