The Oro Valley Town Council unanimously approved Wednesday a random hand count by Pima County of ballots from one of the town’s Nov. 3 recall elections, with a few caveats.
At a special meeting that lasted less than 30 minutes, the town council approved the hand count with the conditions that Pima County agrees it is authorized to request a hand count outside legal statutes and that no lawsuits would be filed against Oro Valley or any of its officers.
The town also requested that the results of the hand count can’t be used to change the outcome of the election, and if they are, the town withdraws it’s permission for a hand count.
Pima County will also have to agree to pay for the count, and if lawsuits are filed against the town, the county has to agree to pay all costs associated with defending the town, including any appeals.
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It wasn’t known Wednesday if the county would agree to all the conditions set.
The hand count, requested by the county’s Elections Integrity Commission, is intended to ensure that recently purchased ballot tabulation machines work properly.
It was unanimously approved at a county Board of Supervisor’s meeting last week, with Supervisor Ally Miller requesting that Oro Valley be added to the random hand count of ballots, should the town approve.
The hand count will include one Tucson City Council race, one city ballot question, one county bond question and one Oro Valley Town Council or mayoral recall race.
All seven members of the mayor and town council were present for the vote.
