Recount for Macon County Sheriff race starting Tuesday – Herald & Review

Tony Brown, a Democrat, was declared the winner by a single vote over Republican Jim Root.

Brown has served as sheriff since December 2018. Root continues to be a lieutenant in the department. 

Root declined to comment for this story and Brown did not return an interview request.

Root filed a legal petition to challenge the results in December 2018. In January 2020, Brown and Root agreed to the recount, which was postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

In his petition, Root outlined potential errors in the initial count, including two ballots supporting him in Hickory Point Precinct 1 that were not counted on election night. The voter placed an “X” next to the names of the candidates for whom he or she wished to vote rather than darkening the box next to the candidates’ names.

Root’s petition also says two votes for Brown should not have counted because neither were initialed by an election judge, a requirement under the Election Code. 

Another ballot that was originally marked as an undervote — a ballot on which not all races received a vote — was marked as a vote for Root in the second discovery count Dec. 16.

Macon County Clerk Josh Tanner said his office will pay for the recount, which will cost an estimated $3,300. The money comes from the county’s election budget, funded by property taxes. Tanner said the county would hire 10 election judges.