MONROE - Even if the 110 lost ballots from the City of Monroe had been found, they may not have changed the outcome of the recount in the 17th District Senate Democrat primary.
Official recount results from the Government Accountability Board now give Pat Bomhack of Spring Green the Democrat spot on the fall ballot against Republican Howard Marklein, also of Spring Green, in the November election.
The recount results of the Democrat primary became official Friday. Ernie Wittwer of Hillpoint lost his seven-vote lead and the primary to Bomhack. Wittwer will have five business days beginning Tuesday to challenge the results in circuit court.
The official recount places Wittwer at 3,804 votes and Bomhack at 3,837 votes - a 33-vote margin.
The large gap comes mostly from an irretrievable loss of ballots cast in Monroe.
Wittwer lost 40 votes in that city and Bomhack lost 12, when the Green County Board of Canvass voted 2-1 Wednesday not to include the votes on the lost ballots. Board member Barbara Woodriff, representing the Democratic Party, vehemently dissented, saying there was more than enough evidence on the vote tabulation machine printout and the original canvassing results to verify voters' intentions.
Monroe police were still following up on their investigation into the disappearance of the ballots as of Thursday afternoon.
But even without tally changes in Monroe, the recount in the other precincts in the 17th Senate District show Wittwer with a three-vote loss compared to the original canvassing numbers and Bomhack with a nine-vote gain, for a net margin of five votes and enough to take him to the November ballot. Early returns on Aug. 12 showed Wittwer with a two-vote lead.
Bomhack gained five votes in Grant, three in Richland, and one in Sauk. Wittwer gained one vote in Lafayette and lost one vote each in Sauk and Iowa, and lost two votes in Green County, other than those in Monroe.
Judge Gerald C. Nichol, Designee of the Chairperson of the Government Accountability Board, certified the canvass statements at 5 p.m. Friday at the Offices of the Government Accountability Board in Madison. The signed canvass statements are the official results of the Aug. 12 Partisan Primary, including recounts conducted in the offices of Representative to the Assembly District 87 and State Senator, District 17.
Official recount results from the Government Accountability Board now give Pat Bomhack of Spring Green the Democrat spot on the fall ballot against Republican Howard Marklein, also of Spring Green, in the November election.
The recount results of the Democrat primary became official Friday. Ernie Wittwer of Hillpoint lost his seven-vote lead and the primary to Bomhack. Wittwer will have five business days beginning Tuesday to challenge the results in circuit court.
The official recount places Wittwer at 3,804 votes and Bomhack at 3,837 votes - a 33-vote margin.
The large gap comes mostly from an irretrievable loss of ballots cast in Monroe.
Wittwer lost 40 votes in that city and Bomhack lost 12, when the Green County Board of Canvass voted 2-1 Wednesday not to include the votes on the lost ballots. Board member Barbara Woodriff, representing the Democratic Party, vehemently dissented, saying there was more than enough evidence on the vote tabulation machine printout and the original canvassing results to verify voters' intentions.
Monroe police were still following up on their investigation into the disappearance of the ballots as of Thursday afternoon.
But even without tally changes in Monroe, the recount in the other precincts in the 17th Senate District show Wittwer with a three-vote loss compared to the original canvassing numbers and Bomhack with a nine-vote gain, for a net margin of five votes and enough to take him to the November ballot. Early returns on Aug. 12 showed Wittwer with a two-vote lead.
Bomhack gained five votes in Grant, three in Richland, and one in Sauk. Wittwer gained one vote in Lafayette and lost one vote each in Sauk and Iowa, and lost two votes in Green County, other than those in Monroe.
Judge Gerald C. Nichol, Designee of the Chairperson of the Government Accountability Board, certified the canvass statements at 5 p.m. Friday at the Offices of the Government Accountability Board in Madison. The signed canvass statements are the official results of the Aug. 12 Partisan Primary, including recounts conducted in the offices of Representative to the Assembly District 87 and State Senator, District 17.