Unofficial minutes of first meeting of HD37 recount board

Unofficial Minutes

HD37 Recount Board

19 November 2008

Linn County Conference Room Center

Westdale Mall

Cedar Rapids

 

At 9:00am on 19 November 2008, Joel D. Miller, Linn County Auditor & Commissioner of Elections, convened the Iowa House District 37 recount board.  The board members are Jeff Elgin of 6940 Bowman Lane NE in Cedar Rapids representing the apparent winner (Renee Schulte) and Joseph R Stutler, Jr. of 581 Ashton Place NE #1 in Cedar Rapids representing the recount requestor (Art Staed). 

Auditor Miller provided each member with copies of the State of Iowa Recount Guide 2008 Edition (January 2008) as prepared by the Office of the Iowa Secretary of State, as well as, part 2:  Forms & Instructions for Recount Boards (January 2008).  Both are available at http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/Auditors/AuditorGuides.html . 

Auditor Miller provided each member with a copy of the records filed with his office related to the recount request.  In chronological order, those are:  Request Form – Recount of Votes for an Office with letter attached (filed 14 November 2008 by Art Staed), recount notification letter to Renee Schulte (sent via certified USPS mail on 15 November 2008 by Sue Wold, Deputy Commissioner of Elections), faxed letter from the legal counsel for Republican Party of Iowa (filed 18 November 2008 by Matthew C. McDermott, Attorney), email appointing Jeff Elgin (filed 18 November 2008 by Renee Schulte), and Amendment #1 to the Request Form changing his recount board member from Stephen Jackson to Joseph Stutler (filed 19 November 2008 by Art Staed). 

Auditor Miller reviewed the Recount Calendar for Most Elections (part 1, Page 13 of 14) from the Recount Guide.  On November 12^th, the Linn County Board of Supervisors canvassed the votes.  The deadline to request a recount was 5pm on November 18^th.  The deadline for the apparent winner to designate a recount board member was at 9am on November 19^th.  The deadline for the two existing board members to name a third member is at 8am on November 21^st.  If the two members do not name a third member, then the deadline Judge Remley has to name the third member is at 5pm on November 23^rd.  The recount must be completed and a report filed with the Auditor no later than November 30^th.   

Board member Elgin provided the names of several persons to be considered for the third board member position.  Elgin indicated he had not contacted these persons in advance because he did not know if any would be acceptable.  Board member Stutler said he would review the list of names and determine which, if any, were acceptable.  If any names are acceptable, he will notify Auditor Miller and member Elgin.  As a courtesy to the members, Auditor Miller agreed to contact the potential appointees to determine if they will accept the appointment of the Board. 

Elgin offered the following names for consideration:  Jack Evans, Nancy Evans, Bill Kinney, Terri Christoffersen, Mike Klappholz, Barb Larew, and Bob Buntz 

If Stutler rejects all of Elgin’s candidates, then Stutler is responsible for providing a list of names to Elgin and the selection process begins again.  Members Stutler and Elgin will communicate directly with one another as needed until the third member selection process is complete or the deadline expires, whichever comes first. 

At 9:25am on 19 November 2008, the meeting was recessed until further notice. 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Joel D Miller

Linn County Auditor & Commissioner of Elections