MacFadzen requests recount in Belknap County sheriff primary

LACONIA — Belknap County Sheriff challenger Mike MacFadzen filed Friday for a recount after losing to incumbent Sheriff Bill Wright by a narrow margin of just 152 votes.

MacFadzen was not immediately available for comment, but stated in a Facebook post that “due to the small margin, we will be requesting a formal recount via the Secretary of State’s office. We are also awaiting information on write-ins that we received on the Democratic ballots that will help us shape where we go from here.” 

Paula Penney of the secretary of state’s office confirmed Friday afternoon that the office had received a request for a recount, adding that a total of seven recounts have been requested throughout the state. The sheriff’s race appears to be the only recount request in Belknap County thus far. 

“I got notification from the Secretary of State’s office there’s going to be a recount on Sept. 20,” Wright said in an interview, after posting the news to Facebook on Friday. "I still feel confident, I believe in our election process and that our tallies are accurate."

“It’s all good,” Wright said. “It’s all part of the process, and it’s his right. It’s all part of the electoral process.”