Hillsdale mayor decides against seeking recount

11/20/2005

HILLSDALE Hillsdale Mayor Douglas Ingles announced yesterday he plans tomorrow to withdraw his request for a vote recount that he filed Tuesday with the Hillsdale County Clerk of Courts.

Mr. Ingles lost the Nov. 8 mayoral election to 18-year-old write-in candidate Michael Sessions by two votes out of 1,338 cast.

The recount was scheduled for Dec. 5, but yesterday Mr. Ingles read a statement to a group of about 150 people gathered for a special City Council meeting that he no longer wants to pursue a recount.

The council meeting, which lasted only about five minutes, was called to discuss a provision in the city s charter that states a new mayor cannot be sworn in until the results of a recount are confirmed.

Since that is no longer an issue, the city has gone forward with its plans to swear in Mr. Sessions, a high school senior, as Hillsdale s new mayor at 8 p.m. Monday in the Hillsdale City Council chambers, 97 North Broad St.