Sarantou files challenge to provisional ballot count

12/13/2010

George Sarantou on Monday afternoon filed a “contest of election” brief in Lucas County Common Pleas Court over the counting of provisional ballots that led to his defeat for a Lucas County commissioner's seat in the Nov. 2 election.

Mr. Sarantou, in a statement, has cited inconsistencies in how provisional ballots were handled by the Board of Elections for his decision to seek a judicial ruling.

“A review of the limited information provided shows concerns and inconsistencies regarding how provisional ballots were handled by the Lucas County Board of Elections. Those provisional ballots changed the outcome of the commissioner's race in the November election,” he said.

Mr. Sarantou, a Republican city councilman, was certified the loser in his race against Democrat Carol Contrada, a Sylvania Township trustee, for a commissioner's seat. The provisional ballots changed the outcome for Mrs. Contrada, who was the loser on election night by 1,376 votes but who later was declared the winner by 193 votes.

“The filing of this legal action is something I do not take lightly. However, it is obvious that the Lucas County Board of Elections has not provided all requested public documents to my campaign in a timely manner,” he said.