Incumbent San Bernardino Councilman Henry Nickel has rescinded his request for a recount of ballots from last month’s general election due to the projected cost of initiating the process.
Late Wednesday, Dec. 9, the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters estimated a recount would cost between $62,000 and $192,000, with a $20,000 deposit due by 5 p.m. Thursday.
Nickel, the incumbent 5th Ward representative who last month lost his bid for a second term on the City Council, said in a text message Wednesday the price tag “appears excessive.”
“This is almost as much as the cost of conducting a citywide election,” he added. “Doesn’t make any sense.”
First-time candidate Ben Reynoso garnered 600 more votes than Nickel in the Nov. 3 general election and is set to be sworn into office Wednesday, Dec. 16.
Yet, with nearly 1,700 undervotes, or ballots that were not counted because of unclear marking by the voter, Nickel requested a hand recount of all ballots cast in the 5th Ward race, and in a particular order.
Doing so, the registrar said Wednesday, would take 34 days and cost $192,000.
Hand recounting the ballots by batches, however, as they were previously run through scanners, rather than by precinct, was offered as a cheaper alternative.
The registrar estimated that process would take eight days and cost about $62,000.
Either way, a $20,000 deposit was required by Thursday.
In lieu of following through with a recount, Nickel said he intends to bring to city leaders discrepancies he has found with Reynoso’s qualifications to stand as a candidate.
Nickel, who recently said he alerted the City Clerk’s Office and the registrar of such eligibility discrepancies in April, contends Reynoso was not a resident of nor a registered voter in San Bernardino for the requisite 30 days before filing for candidacy on Dec. 6, 2019.
Rather, Reynoso’s earliest record of residency is Nov. 14, 2019, Nickel said.
In an email Thursday, Bob Page, the county registrar, said that on Nov. 14, 2019, Reynoso was told by the San Bernardino City Clerk’s Office to re-register to vote because his voter registration record did not match the information it had sent the registrar’s office to confirm his eligibility for office.
While Reynoso’s voter registration status was inactive, Page said he told Reynoso he could still vote if he provided a current residential address.
According to Page, Reynoso said his address had changed in 2018, and he provided his current one.
Page said the registrar then confirmed his old address – provided with a 2017 voter registration affidavit – and his current address were in the 5th Ward. His office then shared Reynoso’s voter registration history with the San Bernardino city clerk to determine his eligibility as a candidate.
Reynoso and Nickel advanced to last month’s runoff as the top two vote-getters in March’s primary election.
Should city leaders side with Nickel next week, they could declare the seat vacant in accordance with the charter and call a special election.
The City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday via web conference.
