Ron Barber-Martha McSally recount to take two weeks

PHOENIX — Arizona’s first-ever congressional recount between Republican Martha McSally and Democrat US Rep. Ron Barber is underway.

“We will go to great lengths to make sure that we only recount the ballots that were counted in the first place,” Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett said.

Just 161 votes separate the two candidates for southern Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District. That small margin triggered a recount once the official 2014 canvas was signed Monday to officially approve the Nov. 4 election results.

“I think the judge ruling reflects the fact that procedures for handling ballots are decided before an election, not after an election,” Bennett said.

Incumbent Barber had challenged 133 provisional ballots that were rejected for various reasons but a judge denied the request to include the ballots.

“If you wanted to try to handle those 133 ballots that were raised by the Barber campaign, you would also have to consider 8,400 other provisional ballots from around the state,” he said.

Bennett said his office will have the recount results in about two weeks.