In an answer to contender Cory Priest’s lawsuit, Incumbent Kelly Snell tells the challenger that a new election will not make a difference.
Priest lost the initial contest by 29 votes. He then lost a recount by even less—only 25 votes.
The contender filed suit to order a new election less than a week ago. He claims that 139 voters did not have their voices heard.
Kelly Snell, the winner of the election, has responded to the suit.
“I think it’s a good response to their-- I guess their claim or their suit,” Snell said. “We got out information there, we filed it, we showed some numbers in the suit.”
Snell said that nearly seven thousand voters placed their ballots during the republican primary. He says he’s concerned voter turnout may not be as good if people are forced to vote again.
That’s a concern Priest said he does not share.
“I don't know what the voter turnout would be,” Priest said. “I do know that everybody that voted in the first election plus those who did not vote in the first election would have that same right to vote in the next election,” he added.
Attorneys for Priest want a judge to include a new election as part of the runoffs scheduled for later this year.
