From the JSOnline:
A statewide recount confirmed Prosser’s victory by about 7,000 votes, but it drew unflattering attention to Waukesha County election procedures. The county’s recount lasted longer than any other county and cost nearly $130,000.
Waukesha’s recount was expensive (and lengthy) for several reasons:
- Kathy Nickolaus recused herself from the canvass board (that would decide the validity of challenged ballots) and the County brought in a retired judge to oversee the process and chair the canvass board. Not sure the cost, but I’m guessing the judge was compensated.
- In the interest of transparency, the entire recount was livestreamed on the internet so that everyone could watch it.
- To ensure an accurate record, the County had a Court reporter there for the entire recount to record every comment made by every representative of every side of the recount. (Court reporters aren’t cheap fyi).
- To ensure that nothing was overlooked, for the first few weeks – while candidate representatives were challenging disputed ballots, the tabulators were prohibited from counting.
- Every possible issue was examined in length, at detail, and reviewed again. The problem was Waukesha County was overly thorough.
