COTTAGE GROVE — Not much has changed regarding recall election results, but there was more unofficial data released last week.
The second batch of unofficial results for the potential recall of councilors Alex Dreher, Mike Fleck, and Chalice Savage was released Aug. 6 at 5 p.m. An additional 159 ballots were included in this round, taking the total ballots unofficially counted from 2,586 to 2,745.
Each councilor has still received a majority of votes to be recalled: Dreher with 61.7%, Fleck with 60.94%, and Savage with 61.28%. While Dreher and Savage’s percentage of votes to be recalled increased by 0.17% and 0.06%, respectively, Fleck’s actually decreased by 0.25%.
As ballots counted increased, the ballot return data did as well. The July 30 special election has now garnered 38% voter turnout with 2,813 ballots returned, as of Aug. 13.
Since Lane Elections must certify this election by Aug. 26, which is the date of Cottage Grove’s next council meeting, there is a chance the Aug. 12 meeting was the trio’s last chance to sit on the dais, yet Savage and Dreher were not in attendance.
Fleck did take a moment to say goodbye to his over two decades as a volunteer citizen.
“I will be honest: It’s going to be very weird getting used to not being busy all the time, but I guess I also want to say ‘thank you,’” Fleck said. “I would have never given up. As many of you know, I am certainly determined, which I consider the good side of stubborn, and have always tried to do what’s best for our City.”
Lane Elections’ next unofficial results are scheduled to come out Aug. 21 at 5 p.m.
