Long files for recount in commission election

By Lisa Brody

In what may be a first for a Birmingham city election, Anthony Long, a candidate in the recent city commission election, has filed with the Oakland County Election Division requesting a recount of the ballots, as he came in only six votes behind fellow candidate Andrew Haig.

Long said he filed with the county on Tuesday, November 9, following the certification of the election by the Oakland County Board of Canvassers.

Seven candidates ran to fill three open seats on the seven member Birmingham City Commission on Tuesday, November 2. Katie Schafer, Elaine McLain and Andrew Haig were the top vote getters, and were sworn into office at the commission meeting on Monday, November 8.

Long, however, lost by just six votes to Haig. Haig received 2,340 votes, or 16.96 percent of votes cast, while Long received 2,334 votes, for 16.92 percent of the vote.

“I felt I deserved it to myself, as well as to the voters, to file for a recount. Never in the history of Birmingham have they had a vote this close,” Long said. “With these results being within the margin of error, I have requested a recount of the ballots. I fully trust the process, and will accept the results of the recount, regardless of the outcome.”

According to the election specialist in the election division office in Oakland County Clerk's office, Long said he was told they will have to get the board of canvassers back together after the ballots have been requested from the Birmingham City Clerk.

“I was told it will take no more than a day to do a recount of all the absentee and in-person ballots,” he said.

There were 4,511 absentee ballots certified and about 1,500 in-person ballots certified.

Once a recount petition is received, the board of canvassers must complete the recount within an approximate 13-day window.

“I think anyone in my position would do the same thing,” Long said. “I will respect whatever the decision of the recount is.”