Tarrant Regional Water District Board Election Recount Flushed

For days I wondered what was up with the Tarrant Regional Water District Board Election recount.

I knew the recount had been halted, but I was sketchy on the details of why or how the recount was halted.

And now, this afternoon, via Facebook, I am no longer sketchy regarding the details of why or how the recount was halted.....

To fill everyone in; My recount request was unsuccessful. We started the recount with just 90 votes (out of over 40,000) separating me from an elected position on the board. After ALL paper ballots cast in the election were counted and a "sampling" of the electronic ones... I had gained an additional 10 votes, but with only electronic ballots remaining and NO errors found in any of those samples, I called off the remainder of the recount. I want to Thank EVERYONE for the incredible effort and invite you to congratulate Director-Elect Mary Kelleher who garnered the MOST VOTES IN TRWD HISTORY. Mary is in the unique position to be able to influence the board from within and to help introduce a little sunshine to the inside. She can't do it without all our help and support and from time-to-time will need a serious display of support at meetings to help remind the incumbents that she has a huge following. Again, Thank You all for the support. There is MUCH MORE to come very soon.

John Austin Basham

A Thank You Has Me Wondering Who Is Overseeing The Impartiality And Accountability Of Marty Leonard

This morning, in my mailbox, I found a note from Fort Worth's favorite Pearls Clutching Dowager Heiress, Marty Leonard, thanking me for helping re-elect Vic Henderson and Jack Stevens to the Tarrant Regional Water District Board.

Apparently Marty Leonard feels that these are honorable and experienced men whose election will bring about a continuing focus on water supply for Tarrant County.

Marty Leonard also let me know that my vote made a difference.

I guess it did.

Because I did not vote for Marty Leonard's honorable men, I voted for the honorable, experienced Mary Kelleher, who got the most votes in the recent election.

I wonder why Marty Leonard made no mention of her new fellow board member?

Did Marty Leonard pay for this 'Thank You" note with her own funds? If not, whose?

I have not heard how the recount of the vote that re-elected the honorable and experienced Henderson and Stevens is going.

Marty Leonard is overseeing the impartiality and accountability of the recount for the TRWD Board.

Who is overseeing the impartiality and accountability of Marty Leonard I can not help but wonder?

Tomorrow Marty Leonard Will Be Clutching Her Pearls Overseeing The TRWD Board Election Recount

Message from BNKer, John Basham regarding the TRWD Election Recount starting tomorrow.

Apparently TRWD Board Member, Marty Leonard, will be anxiously clutching her pearls whilst overseeing the impartiality and accountability of the recount.

Below is what Mr. Basham had to say about tomorrow's  recount and related issues....

Durango,

Okay, so I've paid my $14,000 to the TRWD, put together a group of lawyers and "observers", and I'm preparing for tomorrow's beginning to the recount.

Funny thing.... The TRWD must designate a "Recount Coordinator" to oversee the impartiality and accountability of the recount.... and that person is...drumroll... Marty Leonard...

Oh, well.... There will be 5 counting tables with 3 "counters" at each table recounting the ballots by hand (starting of course with the paper ballots, which I'm told is well over half)...

Then every candidate who is on the ballot is allowed to designate ONE person to each of the three counters at each table.... (good thing we ran as a three slate team)....

So we will start this process tomorrow morning at 9am in the warehouse of the Elections Department.... And will count until no later than  6pm.... this repeats daily until all ballots are counted or I call it off.

But not to worry.... If I still don't pick up the 90 votes needed in recount I can always run next year..... errr oh wait.... Charlie Geren steps in and changes the play (it's a sneak).... He has MOVED next year's election to 2015!

Yep, it's true, and the Governor just signed it.... Such is life in the cesspool of Fort Worth politics.

Oh, and Happy Memorial Day.

Warmest Regards,

John

A Vote Recount Keeps Mary Kelleher From Joining The TRWD Board Today

I was so looking forward to watching Mary Kelleher  be sworn in this morning to be a member of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board, followed by lunch with Fort Worth's favorite self-entitled, pearls clutching dowager heiress, Marty Leonard.

As so often happens when I look forward to something, something goes wrong.

The Tarrant County Elections Office is recounting the votes cast in the May 11 TRWD Board election.

The swearing in of Mary Kelleher is postponed until the election results are validated.

I have heard of multiple impropriety allegations which may be why the recount has been ordered.

I have heard there are provisional and military ballots which were not counted. I don't know what a provisional ballot is. I assume a military ballot is a vote cast by someone in the military.

I have heard there was some dubious behaviors at a couple of the polling places. I don't have any idea if those dubious behaviors are one of the reasons for the recount.

I have also heard that there were some shenanigans at the Tarrant County Elections Office the day of the election that may have created some concern as to the accuracy of the original vote count.

If I remember right John Basham was 92 votes short of unseating one of the incumbents. I will not be shocked if this recount results in that incumbent being unseated, with John Basham joining Mary Kelleher as a newcomer to the TRWD Board.