The smoking-ban question will be looked at again this afternoon after a recount request was filed Monday at the office of the Lyon County Clerk.
Emporia attorney Michael Helbert, who filed the request, said he felt the vote was so close it needed to be given a second look.
In last week’s election, the citywide ban was approved by a margin of only 6 votes out of about 5,000 votes cast.
“Under the circumstances, I thought that for the amount of the investment that was made by the various people in this community, we ought to have somebody take a look at this and just verify that this has been done,” Helbert said.
Helbert emphasized that he does not doubt county clerk Tammy Vopat or election workers.
“It’s just a very, very minuscule margin in an election,” he said. “In fact, I can’t remember an election that close since I moved here 30 some years ago.”
Vopat said she will get three experienced board workers who worked the election to hand count the almost 5,000 votes that decided the issue last week.
The special election board was to begin counting the votes at 1 p.m. today. The board of canvassers was scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. at the Lyon County Courthouse.
“We don’t want to draw it out any further than we have to,” she said. “It needs to be resolved.”
Helbert had to pay a $250 bond to file for the recount. If the recount changes the result of the election, the county will absorb the cost.