Shelby County re-counts Amendment 2 vote
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Shelby County Probate Judge Patricia Fuhrmeister said the recount of the vote for statewide Amendment Two has resulted in an unofficial net gain of 12 yes votes.
Fuhrmeister said the recount was expected to be certified Tuesday.
Amendment Two was designed to remove segregationist language from the state Constitution and was narrowly defeated.
According to media reports, a near tie that falls within one percent requires a recount.
Fuhrmeister said unofficially, the Shelby County recount resulted in a net gain of 12 yes votes for Amendment Two.
She said, &uot;Out of almost 80,000 votes counted, that was a good percentage in terms of accuracy.&uot;
She explained that if a person used a pen other than that provided at polling places for voters, the ballot may have been accepted because it was marked dark enough in one place, but the vote on the amendment may have been shown as an &uot;under vote.&uot;
She said, however, in a hand recount, the vote could be detected