Goodrich-One vote can make a difference.
Ask incumbent school board trustee Chip Schultz, who lost his Nov. 4 reelection by just one vote to newcomer Jeff Brown. The unofficial results for the school board election were incumbent Daniel Keller received 1,676 (26.93 percent) votes, Jennifer Riggs 1,668 (26.80 percent), Jeff Brown tallied 1,324 (21.27 percent) and Howard (Chip) Schultz received 1,323 (21.26).
‘Right now I’m waiting for the official results to be given,? said Schultz. ‘As of Wednesday (Nov.12), the election results are still unofficial in Genesee County. If the recount does not go my way I wish the best to Mr. Brown’all the best of luck.?
Once the official results from the election are in then Schultz can apply for the recount. The Genesee County Board of Canvassers officials will then review his request and decide the fate of the petition.
Due to the area incorporated by the school district, the recount will include votes from Atlas, Groveland, Grand Blanc, Hadley, Davison and Grand Blanc townships. The cost for the petition is $10 per township for the recount.
‘There is a margin of error,? said Tere Onica, Atlas Township clerk. ‘He (Schultz) should go for a recount once the election results are certified. We are fine with the recount, it could go either way; however, typically results don’t change. But this recount would be worth it. Neither machines nor people are perfect? we are accurate, but it was such a close race.’Onica, who reported a 54 percent turnout for the mid-term election, estimates the certification process should be completed by the end of the week (Nov. 14).
‘The greatest factor in the certification is the City of Flint,? she said. ‘They seem to always have issues.?
If approved, the recount will only be the second for Onica in 14 years as township clerk.
In 2012, Township Treasurer Ann Marie Slagle (Moore) retained her office following a recount of the August primary election results.
On Sept. 7, 2012, five 2-member teams from the Genesee Board of Canvassers reviewed the 839 votes (55 percent) for Slagle and the 679 votes (44 percent) tallied for challenger Beth Forys at the township offices. The results found two additional votes for Slagle and one more vote for Forys.
Schultz has been on the school board for three years.
In August 2011, by a 6-0 vote, the Goodrich School Board chose Schultz, one of seven candidates vying to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of trustee Michael Tripp who resigned a month earlier. In November 2012 Schultz retained his seat with 3,269 votes for a partial term ending Dec. 31, 2014.
Schultz, 46, is a fire and arson investigator for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. He was also assigned to Milford High School in Highland Township as a school liaison officer after serving with OCSO as a road patrol deputy in addition to various jail duties.
Three Goodrich School Board seats will open up in 2016.
‘The recount in Goodrich is why it’s important that the ballot box and poll book balance,? said John Gleason, Genesee County Clerk and Register of Deeds.
‘Several did not balance in Flint during the recent election. If it does not (balance) there will be no recount possible. We emphasize this to all the clerks countywide.?