Montessori School is holding its 31st annual "Las Vegas Night" starting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach Resort ballroom, featuring a cash raffle with a top prize of $10,000.
Hundreds of volunteers and community members flock to the fun event every year. According to Evelyn Nye, Montessori parent and event director, "Las Vegas Night has become one of the most glamorous evenings on St. Thomas."
About 90 dealers have been recruited this year, not only from parents, but from the ranks of good-hearted community people, according to Shournagh McWeeney, school administrator. It's not only a good cause, it's fun. The evening will have roulette, blackjack, craps tables and even bingo. Though 90 seems a lot, the dealers work from 7 p.m. until the wee hours when the last players wind down.
Nye said, "We always have a handful of casino mangers from Puerto Rico fly over to help us maintain a professional level of gambling—the guys have become like family to us."
Though the $10,000 raffle prize would be nice, there are also several "lovely surprises" from the students, McWheeney said. Since the students are under 18 years old, they cannot attend the event in person, so each grade makes something to auction.
Last year one class made a ceramic dish set and another group of six to nine-year-old created a painting which sold for $600. Not Picasso perhaps, but maybe a baby Grandma Moses.
Aside from the children's contributions, the auction will feature cruise and airline trips, jewelry and a variety of prizes donated from local merchants. There will also be a silent auction.
George Blackhall and Jill Doherty will run the auction, and joining them on the stage will be radio personalities Sam Topp, Addie Ottley, Mary Lou Burnett and Miss USVI Lisa Wynne.
Proceeds from the event, Nye said, fund financial aid and scholarship programs, campus and classroom upgrades and sports projects, such as the school's new soccer field.
Tickets for the event are $30 in advance, or $35 at the door, and can be purchased from the school, or from any Montessori parent. They are also available at Glenn's Gifts and Bags, Phil's Paradise in Tutu Park Mall, Sanrio, East End Secretarial in Red Hook, the Veggie Table in Frenchtown, Silk Greenery in Fort Mylner and Connections in Cruz Bay, St. John. Raffle tickets are $5, and can be purchased from any Montessori student or parent. For more information, call (340) 775-6360 or (340) 775-6511.
SAKRYD TAKES IST IN 10K ROAD RACE SUNDAY
Adam Thill and Gary Sakryd battled it out for first place to the last quarter-mile push Sunday in the annual V.I. 10 K Road Race, sponsored by the St. Thomas Association of Roadrunners. This race, always a challenge to even hardy runners, attracted 10 men and 11 women.
The 6.2 mile course started at Four Winds Shopping Center and ended at the UVI field. Leading the pack from Four Winds and up over Raphune Hill were Thill and Sakryd.
The two men ran an amazing race, pacing off each other all the way down the waterfront, on over through town, and out to UVI. At the last quarter mile Sakyrd pulled ahead of Thill and crossed the finish line in a time of 41:04.
Adam finished close behind in a time of 41:10. Neither men looked spent from their swift run as they congratulated each other after crossing the finish line.
The third runner to finish was the first woman, Claire Ochoa, in 44:45. She was followed by the third male finisher, Lance Maanum, in a time of 46:13.
The second place woman was Janelle Zachman coming at 48:07. The third woman, Charley Charles of the C.A.H.S. track team, came in at 50.34.
The times of the remaining runners are:
Dwayne Allen 46:52
Gerald Wentworth 47:44
Jennie Wentworth 50:37
Allyn Payne 51:23
Kevin Lenahan 52:36
Frank Jackson 53:13
Frank Schneieger 55:17
Ethlyn Farrell 56:17
Stephanie Jones 56:28
Bob Skinners 56:35
Annie Greaux 1:00:22
Craig Marek 1:01:15
Kathy Griffiths 1:03
Monica Bastien 1:03
Patrise Remy 1:18
The 6.2 mile course started at Four Winds Shopping Center and ended at the UVI field. Leading the pack from Four Winds and up over Raphune Hill were Thill and Sakryd.
The two men ran an amazing race, pacing off each other all the way down the waterfront, on over through town, and out to UVI. At the last quarter mile Sakyrd pulled ahead of Thill and crossed the finish line in a time of 41:04.
Adam finished close behind in a time of 41:10. Neither men looked spent from their swift run as they congratulated each other after crossing the finish line.
The third runner to finish was the first woman, Claire Ochoa, in 44:45. She was followed by the third male finisher, Lance Maanum, in a time of 46:13.
The second place woman was Janelle Zachman coming at 48:07. The third woman, Charley Charles of the C.A.H.S. track team, came in at 50.34.
The times of the remaining runners are:
Dwayne Allen 46:52
Gerald Wentworth 47:44
Jennie Wentworth 50:37
Allyn Payne 51:23
Kevin Lenahan 52:36
Frank Jackson 53:13
Frank Schneieger 55:17
Ethlyn Farrell 56:17
Stephanie Jones 56:28
Bob Skinners 56:35
Annie Greaux 1:00:22
Craig Marek 1:01:15
Kathy Griffiths 1:03
Monica Bastien 1:03
Patrise Remy 1:18
ONLY VOTERS HAVE A RIGHT TO SEEK REDRESS
Why is it that every time we have a modern-day problem, we blame it on the system instead of our flawed approach? Why is it we have decided that to fix the election process created by Florida we must repair the Constitution? Were not the electoral process and the congressional alternatives fixes for our problems of today? How do we fix the alleged problem without any changes in our Constitution or our state laws relative to voting?
People, be aware that the agenda of our forefathers contained what was good for the country, not what could be manipulated by any one individual. Being a citizen of the United States of America was more important than being a citizen for ourselves. Is not the real fix for our perceived electoral crisis, vote misuse and other allegations that we must go to vote in such numbers that the problem can no longer occur?
Do not allow the media to lead us into a fix-it mode purely to respond to their manufactured problems. The thing we need to change in our election system is to create a blackout of the media 48 hours before elections, primary and regular. And, we need to recognize that the United States Constitution implies no jurisdiction or authority over the voting procedure other than the apportioning of and qualifications for federal officials. Nothing in the Constitution other than a threat against disenfranchisement and the two aforementioned statements gives anyone any authority relative to voting.
The worst-case scenario is the illusion created by politicians that as candidates they have some standing in courts to cry foul. Only registered voters of an area have the authority to question and challenge their votes and their voting procedures. Candidates are merely participants in the activity of voters. How dare they file lawsuits as if they have standing other than as participants who must adhere to the existing laws even to appear on the state's ballot?
Please do not allow the rhetoric of the media and the candidates to dictate our flawed or not flawed voting procedure or system. "We the people" must raise our ugly heads and either vote sufficiently to alleviate any future problem or deny any challenges not instigated by the voters alone, not the candidates.
Krim Menelik Ballantine
St. Thomas
People, be aware that the agenda of our forefathers contained what was good for the country, not what could be manipulated by any one individual. Being a citizen of the United States of America was more important than being a citizen for ourselves. Is not the real fix for our perceived electoral crisis, vote misuse and other allegations that we must go to vote in such numbers that the problem can no longer occur?
Do not allow the media to lead us into a fix-it mode purely to respond to their manufactured problems. The thing we need to change in our election system is to create a blackout of the media 48 hours before elections, primary and regular. And, we need to recognize that the United States Constitution implies no jurisdiction or authority over the voting procedure other than the apportioning of and qualifications for federal officials. Nothing in the Constitution other than a threat against disenfranchisement and the two aforementioned statements gives anyone any authority relative to voting.
The worst-case scenario is the illusion created by politicians that as candidates they have some standing in courts to cry foul. Only registered voters of an area have the authority to question and challenge their votes and their voting procedures. Candidates are merely participants in the activity of voters. How dare they file lawsuits as if they have standing other than as participants who must adhere to the existing laws even to appear on the state's ballot?
Please do not allow the rhetoric of the media and the candidates to dictate our flawed or not flawed voting procedure or system. "We the people" must raise our ugly heads and either vote sufficiently to alleviate any future problem or deny any challenges not instigated by the voters alone, not the candidates.
Krim Menelik Ballantine
St. Thomas
26th ANNUAL VI HALF-MARATHON SUNDAY
The 26th Annual Virgin Islands Half-Marathon, "The Race Against Drugs," will be held at 6 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 26 beginning at the Carambola Resort.
The 13.1 mile race, organized by The Virgin Islands Pace Runners, is open to all qualified runners. The course will be run from the Carambola Beach Resort North Shore East to near Gentle Winds condos and back.
Awards and certificates will presented following the race at Sunterra Carambola Resort and refreshments will be served.
Entry fee is $20.
Call 777-0258 for more information.
The 13.1 mile race, organized by The Virgin Islands Pace Runners, is open to all qualified runners. The course will be run from the Carambola Beach Resort North Shore East to near Gentle Winds condos and back.
Awards and certificates will presented following the race at Sunterra Carambola Resort and refreshments will be served.
Entry fee is $20.
Call 777-0258 for more information.
LANDMARKS SOCIETY MEMBERS PARTY
The St.Croix Landmarks Society Members Christmas Party will be held Wednesday, Dec.13 at the Whim Museum.
Call 774-0598 for more information.
Call 774-0598 for more information.
26th ANNUAL VI HALF-MARATHON SUNDAY
The 26th Annual Virgin Islands Half- Marathon, "The Race Against Drugs," will be held at 6 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 26 beginning at the Carambola Resort.
The 13.1 mile race, organized by The Virgin Islands Pace Runners, is open to all qualified runners. The course will be run from the Carambola Beach Resort North Shore East to near Gentle Winds condos and back.
Awards and certificates will be presented following the race at Sunterra Carambola Resort and refreshments will be served.
Entry fee is $20.
Call 777-0258 for more information.
The 13.1 mile race, organized by The Virgin Islands Pace Runners, is open to all qualified runners. The course will be run from the Carambola Beach Resort North Shore East to near Gentle Winds condos and back.
Awards and certificates will be presented following the race at Sunterra Carambola Resort and refreshments will be served.
Entry fee is $20.
Call 777-0258 for more information.
BERRY PASSES GOODWIN FOR 7th STT SENATE SEAT
Sen. Lorraine Berry will again represent St. Thomas in the 24th Legislature after edging out Sen. George Goodwin on 26 absentee votes.
Goodwin won the seventh and last district seat in the general election on Nov. 7 with 4,998 votes. Berry, however, was close behind with 4,883. But by about midnight Saturday, Berry overtook her colleague by collecting 263 absentee votes to Goodwin’s 122 for a 5,146 to 5,120 victory.
Neither Berry nor Goodwin got enough absentee votes to edge out Sen.-elect Norma Samuel, now in the No. 6 slot. Samuel received 81 absentee votes.
Other St. Thomas-St. John senators receiving votes included former Sen. Judy Gomez with 142; Sen.-elect Carlton Dowe, 107; and Sen. Donald Cole, 126.
On St. Croix, cousins Sen. Vargrave Richards and Raymond "Usie" Richards had tied for the seventh seat in that district with 3,936 each. But after Saturday’s absentee ballot count, Sen. Richards had unofficially broken the deadlock by 25 votes.
After essentially conceding the victory Saturday night to Sen. Richards, Usie Richards announced Sunday morning that he was petitioning the St. Croix Board of Elections for a recount of the absentee ballots. In his recount petition, Usie Richards, who chairs the Joint Boards of Elections, said that ballot-counting procedures adopted by the St. Croix Board of Elections were not followed during the initial absentee ballot count.
He is also requesting a review of all the people who voted by absentee ballots to determine whether they qualify, and a re-tabulation of electronic cartridges used in voting machines.
The Boards of Elections, which include the St. Croix district and the St. Thomas-St. John district, consist of 11 members elected by the voters in each district to terms of four years. No more than four members of the same political party can be members of each board. Within their respective districts, the Boards of Elections have, among other things, jurisdiction over the registration of voters; conduct primary and general elections; investigate election fraud and irregularities; receive from election officers the returns of all elections; and canvass and compute the returns.
The boards must certify the election results no later than one week following the vote. The St. Croix Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Monday, and Usie Richards said he hoped his recount petition would be considered.
Goodwin won the seventh and last district seat in the general election on Nov. 7 with 4,998 votes. Berry, however, was close behind with 4,883. But by about midnight Saturday, Berry overtook her colleague by collecting 263 absentee votes to Goodwin’s 122 for a 5,146 to 5,120 victory.
Neither Berry nor Goodwin got enough absentee votes to edge out Sen.-elect Norma Samuel, now in the No. 6 slot. Samuel received 81 absentee votes.
Other St. Thomas-St. John senators receiving votes included former Sen. Judy Gomez with 142; Sen.-elect Carlton Dowe, 107; and Sen. Donald Cole, 126.
On St. Croix, cousins Sen. Vargrave Richards and Raymond "Usie" Richards had tied for the seventh seat in that district with 3,936 each. But after Saturday’s absentee ballot count, Sen. Richards had unofficially broken the deadlock by 25 votes.
After essentially conceding the victory Saturday night to Sen. Richards, Usie Richards announced Sunday morning that he was petitioning the St. Croix Board of Elections for a recount of the absentee ballots. In his recount petition, Usie Richards, who chairs the Joint Boards of Elections, said that ballot-counting procedures adopted by the St. Croix Board of Elections were not followed during the initial absentee ballot count.
He is also requesting a review of all the people who voted by absentee ballots to determine whether they qualify, and a re-tabulation of electronic cartridges used in voting machines.
The Boards of Elections, which include the St. Croix district and the St. Thomas-St. John district, consist of 11 members elected by the voters in each district to terms of four years. No more than four members of the same political party can be members of each board. Within their respective districts, the Boards of Elections have, among other things, jurisdiction over the registration of voters; conduct primary and general elections; investigate election fraud and irregularities; receive from election officers the returns of all elections; and canvass and compute the returns.
The boards must certify the election results no later than one week following the vote. The St. Croix Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Monday, and Usie Richards said he hoped his recount petition would be considered.
BERRY PASSES GOODWIN FOR 7th SENATE SEAT
Sen. Lorraine Berry will again represent St. Thomas in the 24th Legislature after edging out Sen. George Goodwin on 26 absentee votes.
Goodwin won the seventh and last district seat in the general election on Nov. 7 with 4,998 votes. Berry, however, was close behind with 4,883. But by about midnight Saturday, Berry overtook her colleague by collecting 263 absentee votes to Goodwin’s 122 for a 5,146 to 5,120 victory.
Neither Berry nor Goodwin got enough absentee votes to edge out Sen.-elect Norma Samuel, now in the No. 6 slot. Samuel received 81 absentee votes.
Other St. Thomas-St. John senators receiving votes included former Sen. Judy Gomez with 142; Sen.-elect Carlton Dowe, 107; and Sen. Donald Cole, 126.
On St. Croix, cousins Sen. Vargrave Richards and Raymond "Usie" Richards had tied for the seventh seat in that district with 3,936 each. But after Saturday’s absentee ballot count, Sen. Richards had unofficially broken the deadlock by 25 votes.
After essentially conceding the victory Saturday night to Sen. Richards, Usie Richards announced Sunday morning that he was petitioning the St. Croix Board of Elections for a recount of the absentee ballots. In his recount petition, Usie Richards, who chairs the Joint Boards of Elections, said that ballot-counting procedures adopted by the St. Croix Board of Elections were not followed during the initial absentee ballot count.
He is also requesting a review of all the people who voted by absentee ballots to determine whether they qualify, and a re-tabulation of electronic cartridges used in voting machines.
The Boards of Elections, which include the St. Croix district and the St. Thomas-St. John district, consist of 11 members elected by the voters in each district to terms of four years. No more than four members of the same political party can be members of each board. Within their respective districts, the Boards of Elections have, among other things, jurisdiction over the registration of voters; conduct primary and general elections; investigate election fraud and irregularities; receive from election officers the returns of all elections; and canvass and compute the returns.
The boards must certify the election results no later than one week following the vote. The St. Croix Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Monday, and Usie Richards said he hoped his recount petition would be considered.
Goodwin won the seventh and last district seat in the general election on Nov. 7 with 4,998 votes. Berry, however, was close behind with 4,883. But by about midnight Saturday, Berry overtook her colleague by collecting 263 absentee votes to Goodwin’s 122 for a 5,146 to 5,120 victory.
Neither Berry nor Goodwin got enough absentee votes to edge out Sen.-elect Norma Samuel, now in the No. 6 slot. Samuel received 81 absentee votes.
Other St. Thomas-St. John senators receiving votes included former Sen. Judy Gomez with 142; Sen.-elect Carlton Dowe, 107; and Sen. Donald Cole, 126.
On St. Croix, cousins Sen. Vargrave Richards and Raymond "Usie" Richards had tied for the seventh seat in that district with 3,936 each. But after Saturday’s absentee ballot count, Sen. Richards had unofficially broken the deadlock by 25 votes.
After essentially conceding the victory Saturday night to Sen. Richards, Usie Richards announced Sunday morning that he was petitioning the St. Croix Board of Elections for a recount of the absentee ballots. In his recount petition, Usie Richards, who chairs the Joint Boards of Elections, said that ballot-counting procedures adopted by the St. Croix Board of Elections were not followed during the initial absentee ballot count.
He is also requesting a review of all the people who voted by absentee ballots to determine whether they qualify, and a re-tabulation of electronic cartridges used in voting machines.
The Boards of Elections, which include the St. Croix district and the St. Thomas-St. John district, consist of 11 members elected by the voters in each district to terms of four years. No more than four members of the same political party can be members of each board. Within their respective districts, the Boards of Elections have, among other things, jurisdiction over the registration of voters; conduct primary and general elections; investigate election fraud and irregularities; receive from election officers the returns of all elections; and canvass and compute the returns.
The boards must certify the election results no later than one week following the vote. The St. Croix Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Monday, and Usie Richards said he hoped his recount petition would be considered.
BERRY PASSES GOODWIN FOR 7th STT SENATE SEAT
Sen. Lorraine Berry will again represent St. Thomas in the 24th Legislature after edging out Sen. George Goodwin on 26 absentee votes.
Goodwin won the seventh and last district seat in the general election on Nov. 7 with 4,998 votes. Berry, however, was close behind with 4,883. But by about midnight Saturday, Berry overtook her colleague by collecting 263 absentee votes to Goodwin’s 122 for a 5,146 to 5,120 victory.
Neither Berry nor Goodwin got enough absentee votes to edge out Sen.-elect Norma Samuel, now in the No. 6 slot. Samuel received 81 absentee votes.
Other St. Thomas-St. John senators receiving votes included former Sen. Judy Gomez with 142; Sen.-elect Carlton Dowe, 107; and Sen. Donald Cole, 126.
On St. Croix, cousins Sen. Vargrave Richards and Raymond "Usie" Richards had tied for the seventh seat in that district with 3,936 each. But after Saturday’s absentee ballot count, Sen. Richards had unofficially broken the deadlock by 25 votes.
After essentially conceding the victory Saturday night to Sen. Richards, Usie Richards announced Sunday morning that he was petitioning the St. Croix Board of Elections for a recount of the absentee ballots. In his recount petition, Usie Richards, who chairs the Joint Boards of Elections, said that ballot-counting procedures adopted by the St. Croix Board of Elections were not followed during the initial absentee ballot count.
He is also requesting a review of all the people who voted by absentee ballots to determine whether they qualify, and a re-tabulation of electronic cartridges used in voting machines.
The Boards of Elections, which include the St. Croix district and the St. Thomas-St. John district, consist of 11 members elected by the voters in each district to terms of four years. No more than four members of the same political party can be members of each board. Within their respective districts, the Boards of Elections have, among other things, jurisdiction over the registration of voters; conduct primary and general elections; investigate election fraud and irregularities; receive from election officers the returns of all elections; and canvass and compute the returns.
The boards must certify the election results no later than one week following the vote. The St. Croix Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Monday, and Usie Richards said he hoped his recount petition would be considered.
Goodwin won the seventh and last district seat in the general election on Nov. 7 with 4,998 votes. Berry, however, was close behind with 4,883. But by about midnight Saturday, Berry overtook her colleague by collecting 263 absentee votes to Goodwin’s 122 for a 5,146 to 5,120 victory.
Neither Berry nor Goodwin got enough absentee votes to edge out Sen.-elect Norma Samuel, now in the No. 6 slot. Samuel received 81 absentee votes.
Other St. Thomas-St. John senators receiving votes included former Sen. Judy Gomez with 142; Sen.-elect Carlton Dowe, 107; and Sen. Donald Cole, 126.
On St. Croix, cousins Sen. Vargrave Richards and Raymond "Usie" Richards had tied for the seventh seat in that district with 3,936 each. But after Saturday’s absentee ballot count, Sen. Richards had unofficially broken the deadlock by 25 votes.
After essentially conceding the victory Saturday night to Sen. Richards, Usie Richards announced Sunday morning that he was petitioning the St. Croix Board of Elections for a recount of the absentee ballots. In his recount petition, Usie Richards, who chairs the Joint Boards of Elections, said that ballot-counting procedures adopted by the St. Croix Board of Elections were not followed during the initial absentee ballot count.
He is also requesting a review of all the people who voted by absentee ballots to determine whether they qualify, and a re-tabulation of electronic cartridges used in voting machines.
The Boards of Elections, which include the St. Croix district and the St. Thomas-St. John district, consist of 11 members elected by the voters in each district to terms of four years. No more than four members of the same political party can be members of each board. Within their respective districts, the Boards of Elections have, among other things, jurisdiction over the registration of voters; conduct primary and general elections; investigate election fraud and irregularities; receive from election officers the returns of all elections; and canvass and compute the returns.
The boards must certify the election results no later than one week following the vote. The St. Croix Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Monday, and Usie Richards said he hoped his recount petition would be considered.
USIE RICHARDS WANTS RECOUNT OF ABSENTEE VOTE
In a move that mirrors the ongoing presidential election debacle on the mainland, Raymond "Usie" Richards is requesting a recount of absentee ballots that unofficially showed he missed St. Croix’s seventh Senate seat by 25 votes.
The absentee ballots were tallied Saturday afternoon on St. Croix to break the tie for the seventh Senate position between Usie Richards and Sen. Vargrave Richards.
Both men tallied 3,936 votes in the general election. Although elections officials haven’t officially declared who won the last Senate seat as a result of the absentee ballots, unofficial results showed that Sen. Richards edged his cousin Usie Richards 4,082 to 4,057.
Despite remarks to the media Saturday night that conceded the election to Sen. Richards, Usie Richards hand-delivered his request for a recount to the Elections System’s office Sunday.
In his recount petition, Usie Richards, who chairs the Joint Boards of Elections, said that ballot-counting procedures adopted by the St. Croix Board of Elections were not followed Saturday.
"Specifically, it was agreed that the person designated as the 'caller' of the votes on the Absentee Ballots was supposed to sit at the main table where upon the Candidates or their designated 'Poll Watcher' would have an opportunity to oversee the ballots as they were announced," Usie Richards wrote in his petition.
He said that after about 200 ballots were counted, he positioned himself to have a view of the ballots as the votes were announced. Along with another poll watcher, Usie Richards said at least two "discrepancies" were observed that resulted in a corrected ballot announcement.
"It is my position that since the result of the count on Saturday suggested that I am 25 votes behind the seventh place finisher that a recount of all the Absentee Ballots should be conducted," he wrote. "This request is based solely on the action of the St. Croix District Board to allow the count to continue without making adequate accommodations for 'Candidates' or their designated 'Poll Watchers' to review the ballots as they were being counted."
Usie Richards also requested two additional checks, including a review of all the people who voted by absentee ballots to determine whether they qualify and a re-tabulation of electronic cartridges used in voting machines. He said that would determine a reason for the difference between the order of the candidates on the night of the general election and the poll-by-poll printouts.
The St. Croix Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Monday, and Usie Richards said he hoped his recount petition would be considered.
"These matters require expeditious investigation and corrective actions be taken before any certification of the results of the 2000 general election is declared," he said.
The absentee ballots were tallied Saturday afternoon on St. Croix to break the tie for the seventh Senate position between Usie Richards and Sen. Vargrave Richards.
Both men tallied 3,936 votes in the general election. Although elections officials haven’t officially declared who won the last Senate seat as a result of the absentee ballots, unofficial results showed that Sen. Richards edged his cousin Usie Richards 4,082 to 4,057.
Despite remarks to the media Saturday night that conceded the election to Sen. Richards, Usie Richards hand-delivered his request for a recount to the Elections System’s office Sunday.
In his recount petition, Usie Richards, who chairs the Joint Boards of Elections, said that ballot-counting procedures adopted by the St. Croix Board of Elections were not followed Saturday.
"Specifically, it was agreed that the person designated as the 'caller' of the votes on the Absentee Ballots was supposed to sit at the main table where upon the Candidates or their designated 'Poll Watcher' would have an opportunity to oversee the ballots as they were announced," Usie Richards wrote in his petition.
He said that after about 200 ballots were counted, he positioned himself to have a view of the ballots as the votes were announced. Along with another poll watcher, Usie Richards said at least two "discrepancies" were observed that resulted in a corrected ballot announcement.
"It is my position that since the result of the count on Saturday suggested that I am 25 votes behind the seventh place finisher that a recount of all the Absentee Ballots should be conducted," he wrote. "This request is based solely on the action of the St. Croix District Board to allow the count to continue without making adequate accommodations for 'Candidates' or their designated 'Poll Watchers' to review the ballots as they were being counted."
Usie Richards also requested two additional checks, including a review of all the people who voted by absentee ballots to determine whether they qualify and a re-tabulation of electronic cartridges used in voting machines. He said that would determine a reason for the difference between the order of the candidates on the night of the general election and the poll-by-poll printouts.
The St. Croix Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Monday, and Usie Richards said he hoped his recount petition would be considered.
"These matters require expeditious investigation and corrective actions be taken before any certification of the results of the 2000 general election is declared," he said.
