Regina-Lewvan is no longer getting a recount.
On Friday, Conservative candidate Trent Fraser withdrew his request for a judicial recount. Fraser had lost the riding to NDP candidate Erin Weir.
In a news release, the Regina Lewvan Conservative Party of Canada Electoral District Association said the request was withdrawn because a judge ruled against a request to have some of the un-initialed ballots disqualified.
“During the course of the recount we discovered additional mathematical and clerical errors that would have increased our total vote. Most significantly, dozens of ballots that had not been initialed by several Deputy Returning Officers on election night, which is a requirement under the Elections Act, were counted,” said district president Theo Bryson. “Unfortunately, the Judge ruled against our request to have the un-initialed ballots disqualified. This would have made a significant difference in the vote separation.”
The release went on to say half of the ballots had been counted when the decision to cancel the recount was made.
On election night, it was reported that Weir won the seat over Fraser by 143 votes. The vote total for Trent Fraser increased by 10 votes after Wednesday’s Validation of Vote meeting with Elections Canada, meaning Weir ultimately won the seat by 133 votes.