Palmer Mohegan Sun casino recount result: Only one vote changes, casino still defeated

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Palmer Mohegan Sun casino recount result: Only one vote changes, casino still defeated

An updated version of this story is now available at MassLive.


PALMER -- Tuesday's recount for Mohegan Sun's resort casino proposal reaffirmed that the town's Nov. 5 vote defeated the prospect of a Palmer gaming resort.

The new count saw only one vote change, increasing the original 93-vote defeat to a 94-vote margin. The final tally was 2,657 against the casino to 2,563 for the proposal.

The Board of Registrars met at 9 a.m. today to start the recount.

After the opening of the meeting, Town Clerk Susan Coache went with Palmer Police officer Brian P. McNally and Detective Sgt. Scott E. Haley to the Town Building to retrieve the ballots and bring them to the library to be hand counted. The 5,221 ballots were delivered in four large, black, locked boxes.

Four tables set up for the counting were cordoned off with yellow caution tape.

Casino supporters and members of the anti-casino group, as well as members of the media, sat outside the cordoned off area. Inside the counting area, the two groups were allowed to have representatives watch the proceedings and challenge ballots.

Several challenges regarding ballots were made by 10:45 a.m., putting a halt to the counting process. Challenged ballots were brought to the registrars for review. The registrars were sitting at a table in the cordoned off area.

The counters reviewed ballots in blocks of 50. Finance Director John Kuzmiski was there to complete the final tally.

Town lawyer Charles F. Ksieniewicz explained at the onset of the recount that the ballots would be brought to the tables one block at a time, and he asked the spectators to be quiet. At 11 a.m. he said that in the interest of time he would let counting continue at the other tables if a challenge occurred.

Mohegan Sun, of Connecticut, wanted to build a billion-dollar casino off Thorndike Street (Route 32), overlooking the Massachusetts Turnpike interchange. After the defeat on Nov. 5, Mohegan's chief executive said he would seek a recount.

Problems with a precinct 2 voting machine and potential voter irregularities were some of the concerns cited by Mohegan representatives regarding the election and the need for a recount.

Since then, Mohegan has come under fire by its Palmer supporters for talking with Suffolk Downs about a potential casino project in Revere.

Because the outcome of the vote remained unchanged, only MGM Resorts International in Springfield is left in the running for the lone Western Massachusetts casino license.

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