Linda Mosher concedes defeat after District 9 recount

Halifax District 9 incumbent Linda Mosher concededdefeat following a judicial recount Monday, but issued a parting shot to the victor, Shawn Cleary, who she accused of making personal attacks against her in the media.

"As I look back with gratitude on the last 16 years, I find it sad that Shawn Cleary would be quoted in the media questioning my character and nature," Moshersaid in a statement on herFacebookpage.

"I am at a loss as to why exercising my legitimate right to seek a judicial recount would prompt a nasty personal attack from Mr. Cleary."

• Dawgfather PHD alleges vote theft, Halifax police investigate

Mosher requested the recount following the Oct. 15 municipal electionafter receiving a series of text messagesfrom local hotdog vendor Jerry Riddick, also known as Dawgfather PHD, alleging he had proof she was cheated out of 311 votes.

Mosher'scampaign teampassed the allegations to Halifax Regional Police, whofound insufficient evidence to support chargesafter an investigation. She pushed forward with the request for a recount, which was held in a Halifax courtoom on Monday.

Cleary win reaffirmed

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice JoshuaArnold hand-counted 33 boxes of ballots andrejected only one ballot. The final tally showedClearywon the seat by 107 votes, asopposed to the 106 votes recorded following the election.

Clearywill be officially sworn in as thecouncillorfor District 9 on Tuesday.

"I'm just happy the process has come to a conclusion and I'm looking forward to moving on," Clearysaid. "In terms of this process, I'm just happy I'm now out of political purgatory and can move forward."

Electronic voting concerns

MichaelKydd, Mosher's campaign manager, said while they are satisfied with the judicial recount, they still have lingering concerns regarding the province's use of electronic voting.

"Just because we counted several thousand votes today by hand doesn't mean that the Dawgfather and whoever else may have been involved with these allegations didn't do something electronically," he said.

Kydd said they gave Riddick every opportunity to come forward and present his evidence, but he declined to do so and "went underground."

"What Mr. Reddick did to Mrs. Mosher was atrocious," he said. "Heowes her a big apology, he owes Mr. Clearyan apologyfor putting both of them through theseallegations and putting the residents of District 9 through these allegations as well."

In her Facebook statement, Mosher called for a forensic audit of the elections office operations with an emphasis on security provisions for online voting. Mosher also took issue with former councillorDawn
Sloane being allowed to serve asdeputy returningofficer in District 9 and called for an investigation into whether employing former councillors as elections staff constituted a conflict of interest.

'Reiterate the congratulations'

Mosher made a point of thankingthe people in his district for their support throughout her political career and wished Cleary luck.

"I reiterate the congratulations I extended to the new councillorimmediately after the election and continue to wish him and his family all the best during his service over the next four years," her Facebook post said.

But Mosher alsotook issue with commentsClearymade to Halifax Metro newspaper, where he called her request for a judicial recount "frivolous" and said "it speaks to her character and nature that perhaps she just doesn't want to let this go, and I can understand that."

"People can draw their own conclusions on my character and nature, as well as Mr. Cleary's character and nature," she said.