Baltimore Re-Certifies Election Results; No Changes In Any Race

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Baltimore Board of Elections has formally re-certified the results of the April primary elections.

According to our media partner, The Baltimore Sun, election officials have signed off on updated totals, but not changing the outcome of any race.

Political reporter Pat Warren explains it started after an unusual intervention by state officials.

You don't spend four weeks on a ballot count that should have taken one night and expect to say, 'OK, that's over now.'

"The provisional process showed a little bit of needing more attention," said Nikki Charlson, Maryland Board of Elections.

The state review finds 1,653 ballots were mishandled, 1,188 were provisional ballots counted when they should not have been and that another 465 provisional ballots weren't considered at all.

Election canvassers went through the final ballots Wednesday morning and concluded no changes in the outcome of city races.

"Just at a quick glance, I see no changes," said Armstead Johns, Baltimore elections director.

That doesn't mean there won't be more investigation.

Warren: "People being given the wrong ballots, their votes not being taken, their names not being on the right registers...

Charlson: "Right. As we receive those complaints, we look into all of them."

But voter dissatisfaction remains, and that may have an impact on voter turnout in November.

There is a three-day period for any court challenges or recount requests.