Fred DeCaro
GREENWICH — This time last week, Andrew Walsh of District 12 was among the unofficial winners of the Representative Town Meeting election. But in reviewing the results, officials have since discovered that he didn't actually win the seat.
This article is a good example of why it's important to have a reconciliation process after unofficial results are posted.
We found a typo the day after the election. CT's antiquated equipment requires re-typing the results from what are basically cash register receipts into the reporting system. In our case, more than 7000 on election night. There is a process to verify all of that data in the three days following an election to ensure accuracy.
https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/greenwich-rtm-election-18493584.php
His initial victory was due to a typo that occurred when election officials and volunteers were transferring information from paper to computers on election night. During that process, someone erroneously typed that Walsh won 83 absentee ballots, when in reality he only won 43.
His vote total dropped from 627 votes on the unofficial results, to 587 votes on the official RTM election results, which were published on Wednesday morning.
This change was enough to move Walsh out of the top 21 voter-getters in District 12, which means he will not get a seat in the RTM. In his place, Michael D’Angelo will fill the final seat in District 12. He joins his wife, Valerie D’Angelo, and the other winners who will represent their constituents.
Walsh and D’Angelo did not immediately return requests for comment.
This error was caught last week and Walsh was notified on Nov. 9, before the recount that happened on Monday, Republican registrar of voters Fred DeCaro said in an email.
Aside from the Walsh and D’Angelo flip that happened last week, Monday’s recount affirmed the unofficial winners that were published by the town last week.
“In this past election, there were approximately 7,000 data points which had to be moved from paper to spreadsheets on election night as voters and candidates anxiously await the results,” DeCaro wrote.
“We have to combine data from polling places with absentee ballot counting and those who voted via Election Day Registration. This is why the law provides for a period after the election for the Registrars and Town Clerk and their staff to work together to review all of those results and make corrections.”
The RTM is a 230-member body and 345 people ran for the RTM this year, so more than 100 people failed to secure a seat. The so-called “Bipartisan Coalition” of candidates did well in the race, winning seats all over town.
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