Chris Moser, who was edged out of a seat on Waterloo Regional Council by a margin of three votes, is asking for a recount. The request goes before regional councillors on Tuesday. Moser, a political newcomer, ran for one of two seats representing the City of Waterloo at regional council in the Oct. 26 election. He finished third with 8,602 votes, behind incumbent Chantal Huinink, who received 8,605 votes, and Jim Erb, who received 13,994 votes. Ontario’s Municipal Act only requires an automatic recount in the event of a tie. However, candidates have 30 days after the official results are declared to request a recount, either through the appropriate council or by turning to the Superior Court of Justice. “Given that there is a 0.01 per cent difference in the number of votes between Chris and the next successful candidate, we’re hoping that regional council at least seriously considers such a recount request,” said Eric Davis, a municipal law specialist with SV Law who represents Moser and his campaign. “This isn’t a few hundred votes difference, this is a three-vote difference. So in our mind, it would be the responsible approach to make sure we conduct a recount and to make sure that democracy unfolded in the way it should have,” Davis said. Davis noted that while elections decided by just a few votes are uncommon, there can be small margins of error. Davis pointed to Frank Etherington winning Kitchener’s Ward 9 in 2010 by a single vote as an example where every vote counted. Regional Councillor Michael Harris told CTV News he is aiming to put forward a motion at Tuesday’s meeting, not only asking for the recount, but that it be held in conjunction with the recount already happening for the Catholic school board trustee representing Waterloo, Woolwich and Wellesley. That recount is scheduled for Nov. 9. The motion would need the majority of council’s support for it to pass and the recount to be ordered.
