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Recount: Chang-Diaz still the winner of 2nd Suffolk primaryby Laura KiritsyAssociated PressThursday Oct 2, 2008 Sonia Chang-Diaz remains the Democratic nominee in the 2nd Suffolk District Senate race, following a Sept. 27 hand recount of ballots cast in four wards in the district.
"It feels great," Chang-Diaz told reporters when the recount wrapped up today at mid-afternoon. "I am very honored to finally be able to assume that title officially."
Incumbent state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson had been hoping to overtake Chang-Diaz in the recount after Wilkerson came up short by 228 votes in the Sept. 16 primary. Wilkerson campaign manager Boyce Slayman told reporters when the counting was complete that Wilkerson had picked up an additional three votes in the recount. The city elections department has not yet posted the official results. And though 17 ballots were missing from the recount, Slayman said that the campaign was "satisfied with the thoroughness and integrity" of the recount process.
Boyce said the campaign would now focus on Wilkerson’s plan to run as a write-in candidate in the Nov. 4 general election.
Wilkerson initiated her request for recounts of several of 2nd Suffolk wards in part because of reports of voting irregularities she had received from her constituents. Boston Elections Department officials said earlier this week that they have received no complaints of voting irregularities from 2nd Suffolk voters. Wards 8, 9 and 12 were recounted at Wilkerson’s request; ward 19 at the request of the Chang-Diaz.
Election officials began the recount at about 10:30 a.m. and wrapped up the process at about. In Room 241 at City Hall, Boston election officials counted ballots at 8 different tables, each staffed by a worker who called out either "Wilkerson" or "Chang-Diaz" depending on the ballot in hand. Another worker at each table recorded the vote. Looking over the shoulders of the workers at each table was a representative of the Wilkerson campaign and a representative of the Chang-Diaz camp. There were no serious challenges to the ballots from either camp during the proceedings. The candidates and their staffers also monitored the proceedings for much of the day, though they ignored each other. Wilkerson left to attend campaign events in mid-afternoon.
Wilkerson, the state’s lone African American senator, lost the seat she has held since 1993 in her second match-up with Chang-Diaz, a former school teacher and legislative aide. The two squared off in a 2006 Democratic primary in which they both ran sticker campaigns - Wilkerson because she failed to gather the requisite 300 signatures to qualify for the ballot and Chang-Diaz because of her late entry into the race. Wilkerson eked out a win over Chang-Diaz in a close race that also went to the recount tables.
Ethan Jacobs contributed to this report
 Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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