Update| Lawrence picks up more from rejected votes
Published:Saturday | September 12, 2020 | 6:20 PMAlbert Ferguson - Gleaner Writer
Daniel Lawrence, the Jamaica Labour Party's candidate for Westmoreland Eastern in September 3 general election, has picked up 18 votes from 63 rejected ballots counted on day two of the magisterial recount at the Westmoreland Parish Court in Savanna-la-Mar today.
However, while Lawrence has, so far, picked up more of the votes previously rejected by the Electoral Office of Jamaica, Luther Buchanan, the People's National Party's candidate is leading with 52 boxes of 117 still to be counted. Buchanan has received 2,551 votes to Lawrence's 2,455 and the independent candidate, Haile Mika'el 18 votes.
But Buchanan has only picked up nine of the 63 rejected votes counted up to the end of today. The remaining 36 have been ruled as properly rejected by Judge Steve Walters.
Lawyers for the Buchanan today served notice of their intention to make a submission contesting the manner in which ballots marked for their candidate were rejected.
Counting is to resume on Monday at 10:00 a.m.
Lawyers for Lawrence sought the recount last week after Buchanan was declared the winner of the seat, following a vote by the returning officer in favour of Buchanan to break the tie between the candidates. Both Lawrence and Buchanan polled 4,834 votes after Sunday's official recount.
MiKa'el received 43 votes.
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