The Lowell City Election Commission on Friday accepted a recount petition filed before the statutory deadline and set a recount for Friday, Nov. 21, after staff reported post-election adjustments and a localized error issuing provisional ballots.

Elections staff told commissioners they had reviewed a spreadsheet summarizing provisional ballots from the Nov. 4 city election and found most were routine but that a "large volume of provisional ballots" had been issued in Ward 8 Precinct 1 in error on election day; staff said corrective action and personnel changes are planned for that precinct. "The problem was identified on election day and corrected," an elections official said.

The staff presentation also described changes to the tallies in the affected wards: "on election night, the machine tally was a 4 vote difference," staff said, and after adding hand-counted ballots the transcript records totals described as "11 50 to 11 10," which staff characterized during the meeting as a 10-vote difference. The recount petition presented to the commission included 18 certified signatures. "It appears to meet the requirements of law," the elections official said of the petition.

Elections staff recommended that commissioners set the recount for Friday, Nov. 21, with removal of ballots from the vault beginning at 9:00 a.m. and the formal count commencing at noon in the same meeting room. "It is my recommendation that, we set the recount for Friday, November 21," the official said. Staff outlined logistics: ballots will be blocked into packets of 50 for counting, labeled by ward and precinct, and handled by four counting teams (two people per team) plus two master tally clerks. Each campaign may appoint agents to observe up to the number of clerks assigned.

Staff said they would provide a tailored recount guide and a memo to both candidates and the secretary of state. Commissioners were assigned the role of hearing and ruling on objections or protests during the recount; staff explained that in the event of a tied commissioner ruling the original tally by the clerks becomes the tie-breaker.

Following the staff presentation, a commissioner moved to strike City Council District 3 from the certification. The commission approved the motion, and staff confirmed they would not certify District 3 pending the recount process. The elections office said it would affix commissioners' signatures to the recount petition, notify the candidates, and proceed with the ordered recount.

The meeting concluded after the commission completed the items on the agenda and adjourned. The recount is scheduled to begin Nov. 21 with ballot removal at 9:00 a.m. and counting to start at noon; staff said they would circulate more detailed procedures and a tailored recount guide to participants in advance.