ELECTION COMMISSION TO RECERTIFY MUNI COURT VOTE TODAY; NORMAN TO ANNOUNCE RECOUNT PLANS

UPDATE -- February 26th, 2007, 4:30 p.m. Attorney Michael S. Maistelman, representing Jeffrey B. Norman, said his client has filed for a recount of the results of the election of February 20th. The paperwork and the accompanying check were presented to the Election Commission late this afternoon following a meeting of the commission in which Norman complained of practices at the polls on election day. Commission staff said some of the problems were due to the Norman campaign's instructions to voters on how to cast an absentee ballot for Norman using a sticker supplied by the campaign.
The board also recertified its canvass of last Wednesday. Interestingly, although mootly, the recertification would have granted Norman until Thursday to file his request for a recount. The deadline originally was today. This information was from Executive Director Sue Edman, and was confirmed by George Dunst, counsel to the State of Wisconsin Elections Board. However, the Norman campaign spared the electorate this additional matter of suspense.
The campaign sent a check for $2,979.29 to cover the costs of the staff for an eight-hour day. A $350 fee for a court reporter is included in the amount. In his recall request, Norman cited, "mistakes, fraud an other irregularities in each and every Ward of the city."
-- Michael Horne


Jeffrey Norman hired Attorney Michael Maistelman last week in his bid to bump Phil Chavez off the ballot for municipal judge. Maistelman wasted no time in arranging for a recertification of the results of the February 20th primary election in which Norman ran a well-organized write-in effort that he thinks was sufficient to gain him the number two spot on the general election ballot. The recertification, and a discussion of a possible recount request by Norman are on the agenda.
Maistelman said in a press release that the "prior certification by [the] commission erroneously failed to include potentially hundreds of write-in votes for Jeffrey Norman." [See earlier milwaukeeworld postings for more.]
The meeting will be held in the commission offices at room 501 City Hall, 200 E. Wells St. at 10:30 a.m. In addition to the recertification, Norman will announce his plans regarding a possible recount. There will also be an opportunity for public comment.
Commission Assistant Director Neil Albrecht said Monday that the recertification involves 59 write-in votes that were discovered for Norman after the election. These votes brought his total to 3,023, as reported here last week, and not the 2,964 votes reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Although Maistelman, who could not immediately be reached for comment, stopped short of saying his candidate would demand a recount, the commission has provided him with the needed information should he proceed to do so, including costs, Albrecht said.
The costs would run to $3,000 per 8-hour day, he said. Could the recount be completed in a day? Possibly not, since a write-in recount would be "more labor intensive," he said, and "may encounter challenges" by opponents as the count ensues.
Meanwhile, front-runner Jennifer Havas was on the campaign trail Friday, appearing at Garfield's 502 for a live broadcast of the Eric Von Show. Norman also popped in to the club, celebrating its first anniversary at the location of the former Boobie's Place, 502 E. Garfield Ave. Antonio Riley was also there, looking quite mayoral.
-- Michael Horne