Countywide : Sumner’s Lead Widens to 341 Votes in Recount
Orange County Democratic Party Chairman Bruce Sumner on Friday extended his lead to 341 votes over Art Hoffmann, a follower of political extremist Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr., in the continuing recount of ballots for the Democratic nomination in the 40th Congressional District.
Following a hand-tabulation of the votes in 46 more precincts, Sumner’s total vote was 15,496 to Hoffmann’s 15,155, according to Shirley Deaton of the county registrar of voters’ office.
As of Friday afternoon, the seventh day of the recount, 268 of the district’s 705 precincts had been reviewed, according to Deaton.
Sumner, a retired judge who waged a well-financed write-in campaign against Hoffmann in the June 6 election, initially appeared to have won by 1,459 votes, based on a machine count of ballots. But a subsequent hand tally showed Hoffmann ahead by 267 votes.
Sumner last week asked for the recount following disclosures of apparent irregularities in the way volunteer poll workers had counted the write-ins.
The winner will face incumbent Robert E. Badham (R-Newport Beach) in the November general election.
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