The recount in the state Supreme Court race is done and, as expected, incumbent David Prosser is the winner over challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg. Prosser held a 7,316-vote lead heading into the recount and finished with a 7,006-vote lead.
So, the question is, was the recount worthwhile?
Our answer? Absolutely.
On its face, the margin after the election — about a 7,000-vote victory with about 1.5 million votes case — was close enough to make a recount a legitimate request. But the extraordinary circumstances nearly demanded a recount.
After Kloppenburg led by about 200 votes after the reported results the day after the election, the Waukesha County clerk discovered that the city of Brookfield’s results hadn’t been reported. That put Prosser in front. In the wake of that error, it was incumbent to do a recount to make sure there weren’t any similar problems, despite the still-undetermined costs.
Besides assuring Prosser’s victory, though, the recount served another purpose. It showed county clerks where there were weaknesses in their counting and reporting systems, which gives them a chance to strengthen them.
Full Article: Editorial: Supreme Court recount worthwhile | Appleton Post Crescent | postcrescent.com.