Colorado Springs mayor candidate looks into recount options

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) -A Colorado Springs mayor candidate is considering asking for a recount. Sallie Clark came in third in the unofficial results in the race for mayor. The clerk’s office said those results indicate a runoff between Yemi Mobolade and Wayne Williams, but just over 1,500 hundred votes separate Williams and Clark.

Given the close margin, Clark told 11News Anchor Grace Kraemer, she wants some clarity from the clerk’s office about how much a recount would cost her.

“In a city race, like this, that has so much meaning for the city, I just thought it would be important to get ahead of it,” said Sallie Clark, a Colorado Springs candidate for mayor.

Clark said while she hasn’t decided if she’ll request a recount, the margin between her and Williams is tight, adding she wants to see where the rest of the vote counting process goes.

“I do think that all the votes have not been counted and everyone votes matters,” said Clark.

Sarah Johnson, the city’s clerk, plans to certify the count on April 14. This week, Johnson told 11News, there’s still time for people to fix any issues with their ballots and that she is waiting on military and overseas ballots.

“The vote total’s stayed pretty much the same, the difference between candidates was very consistent,” said Sarah Johnson, Colorado Spring’s clerk.

11News reached out to the top two candidates about a possible recount.

Yemi Mobolade said in a statement, “I applaud the professional, grassroots campaign Sallie has run that has highlighted the opportunities we have to help our neighborhoods thrive by addressing important issues like homelessness, public safety, and roads. My campaign has turned its attention to the runoff election and I am excited to continue a positive campaign that charts a course for our city to prioritize the needs of our neighborhoods and families.”

Wayne Williams told 11News, “I certainly respect the legal right for a candidate to seek a recount. However, in the many recounts that have been completed in Colorado, I’m not aware of any that shifted the final result by more than a handful of votes. Most recently, Tina Peters only gained 13 votes following a paid statewide recount of the 2022 Republican primary for Secretary of State. Another 2022 paid recount in HD43 resulted in the requesting candidate losing a vote in the final tally. My focus now is on the runoff election and delivering my vision for the future of our great city to the voters of Colorado Springs.”

The city clerk’s office said they are working on getting more information about the cost of a potential recount.

Copyright 2023 KKTV. All rights reserved.