West Kelowna

Unsuccessful Westside Council candidate David Knowles has asked that votes at one particular polling station be recounted.

Knowles, a Westside Regional Director, has contacted returning officer Lyla Lindsay requesting the recount of numbers from the polling station at George Pringle Elementary.

"By email he has requested a recount," says Lindsay. "He requested a recount from one location where his votes seem to be abnormally low."

If Knowles is successful in his appeal, it could alter the results from Saturday. Should he gain a council seat, it would be at the expense of Mary Mandarino, who grabbed the sixth and final council seat.

During advance polls, Knowles received 406 votes from George Pringle, but just 115 during Saturday's general election.

If you compare Knowles vote total with those of Doug Findlater and Duane Ophus, the only two candidates to receive more votes from Pringle at the advance poll, Knowles appears to have a case.

Findlater garnered 531 votes during advance polling and 1,375 on election day. Ophus received 456 votes at the advance poll and 1,187 on Saturday.

Knowles totals from election day put him 22nd for that poll. Lindsay says he is claiming a digit was dropped.

She says that figure is being looked at as part of a general review of the results from Saturday as deemed by the Local Government Act.

"Every voting station has to balance their ballots with the number of votes that came in. We'll review those first and then there is a provision in the Local Government Act for us to recount ballots if it is needed or requested."

Lindsay says all of the candidates have been notified they are able to be present during the process, which will take place Tuesday morning.

She says in Knowles case, when you compare the figures, they do seem to be quite low.

Election results from Saturday are unofficial until determined otherwise by the returning officer.