Vermont Auditor of Accounts election, 2006

The 2006 Vermont Auditor of Accounts election was held on November 7, 2006 and resulted in one of the closest state-wide election victories in Vermont history. It also resulted in the first state-wide election recount since 1980, and the first time in the state's history, that such a recount resulted in the overturning of the election night results.

Candidates

*Martha Abbott, Progressive
*Randolph D. "Randy" Brock, Republican, Incumbent
*Jerry Levy, Libery Union
*Thomas M. "Tom" Salmon, Democrat

Election and recount

Unofficial election night results had Democrat Thomas M. "Tom" Salmon losing to Republican incumbent Randolph D. "Randy" Brock by over 800 votes. But when the certified results were announced a few days later, Brock was leading by only 137 votes (with over 250,000 votes cast). Given the closeness of the election, Salmon, in accordance with Title 17, section 2602(b) of the state statutes, then petitioned the Washington County Superior Court for a recount.

As recounted results began coming in from the state's 14 Counties, Brock's lead soon disappeared, and Salmon took the lead.

On December 21, 2006 Superior Court Judge Mary Miles Teachout declared Salmon the winner by a margin of 102 votes over Brock. [http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061221/NEWS/61221012]

This was the first state-wide recount in Vermont in 26 years. According to the state archivist, it is also the first time in the state's history that a certified election was overturned on the basis of a recount. [http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/NEWS/612190371/1004/NEWS03] Also, according to Brock, this may have been the closest state-wide election in the state's history. [http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061221/NEWS/61221012]

Salmon took office on January 4, 2007.

Results

The unofficial recount results as of December 19, 2006, as reported by the Vermont Secretary of State's office [http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2006AuditorRecount12.19.06.html] (these results do not include small changes due to the counting of 62 provisional and vote by phone ballots, and due to the court's resolution of a small number of disputed ballots, that were included in the final results):