Recuento en Maine

The Portland Press Herald:

The Maine Republican Party is recounting the results of its presidential caucuses and may add the votes to be cast in Washington County this weekend to the official totals, its chairman said Thursday.

Mitt Romney was declared the winner on Saturday, leading Ron Paul by 194 votes out of 5,585 cast, according to the official results at the time.

But the numbers did not include Washington County’s caucuses, which were postponed until this Saturday because of a snowstorm.

In addition, the vote totals from several communities, including Waterville and much of Waldo County, were left out of the official count because of clerical or computer errors. Some other communities’ vote totals were entered incorrectly.

Party leaders around the state have been getting calls since then from members who are angry about the handling of the vote, which drew national attention to Maine’s usually low-profile caucuses.

Maine Republican Party Chairman Charlie Webster said he called a meeting of the party’s executive committee Thursday in response to pressure from frustrated party members who wanted all votes counted.

“All Republicans are keenly aware of the intense interest in the results of the Maine Republican Party Presidential Preference Poll,” Webster said in a written statement.

The executive committee recommended adding Washington County’s votes to the official count, but left the final decision to the full state committee, which is scheduled to meet March 10.