Published: May 21, 2008 11:14 pm         

Greenbrier election canvass completed, deputy clerk says

The canvass of ballots for last week’s Greenbrier County primaries has been completed — sort of.

“Before the election can be certified, we must wait 48 hours after the canvass in case a candidate would want a recount,” deputy clerk Gayle White said Wednesday.

White said about 72 provisional ballots — those that were challenged by poll workers the day of the election — and another 30 or so absentee ballots have been added to last week’s totals. In all, more than 100 ballots were challenged, but none of the votes changed any of last Tuesday’s winners. Voting officials worked until about 9 p.m. Tuesday night in order to finish.

In the closely watched Democratic primary for prosecuting attorney, newcomer Martha Fleshman beat Doug Arbuckle by a tally of 2,725 votes to 2,715 votes. Fleshman received 36.67 percent of the vote to Arbuckle’s 36.67 percent in the 10-vote win. Incumbent Kevin Hanson came in third with 1,963 votes, or 26.52 percent. Arbuckle had not requested a recount as of late Wednesday.

Fleshman will take on Republican Pat Via in the fall election. Via ran unopposed.

White said hand counting the rolls of electronic tape in two precincts, as required by law, had added to the delay in officially certifying the election.